LONDON 

PRINTED BY SPOTTISWOODE AND CO. 
NEW-STREET SQUARE 



iLpta ©omesttca: 



CHRISTIAN SONGS for DOMESTIC EDIFICATION. 



Translated from the 
" Psaltery and Harp " of C. J. P. Spitta 
By Richard Massie. 




THIRD EDITION. 



LONDON: 

LONGMAN, GREEN, LONGMAN, AND ROBERTS. 
1862. 



! 7 M 1 



TO 

HIS GRACE, 

JOHN BIRD SUMNER, 
ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY, 

THESE HYMNS ARE INSCRIBED 
WITH THE DEEPEST FEELINGS OF RESPECT AND VENERATION, 
AND WITH A GRATEFUL RECOLLECTION OF 
HIS GRACE'S CONNECTION WITH THE DIOCESE OF CHESTER, 
BY HIS GRACE'S FAITHFUL AND DEVOTED SERVANT, 

THE TRANSLATOR. 



PREFACE. 



REMEMBER to have been 
much ftruck, fome years ago, 
with a remark of James Mont- 
gomery, in the preface to the 
Chriftian Pfalmiji : " If he who pens thefe 
fentiments," fays that truly Chriftian poet, 
" knows his own heart, though it has de- 
ceived him too often to be trufted without 
jealoufy, he would rather be the anonymous 
author of a few hymns, which mould thus 
become an imperifliable inheritance to the 
people of God, than bequeath another epic 
poem to the world, which mould rank his 
name with Homer, Virgil, and our greater 
Milton." 

It might feem prefumptuous in a mere tranf- 
lator to appropriate to himfelf the fentiments 
of this original and highly gifted author, to 




viii 



whom we are indebted for ibme of the moil: 
beautiful hymns in the Englifn language, but 
I can neverthelefs fay with truth, that by a 
fomewhat fimilar feeling I was firft in- 
duced to undertake the tranflation which I 
now offer to the Public. No doubt hymns 
of greater power and beauty might have been 
felected from the writings of fome of the 
earlier German hymnologifts, and efpecially 
from thofe of that fweet finger, of Lutheran 
Germany, Paul Gerhardt ; but yet I think 
it may be doubted, whether any of them 
would have been fo fuited to the modern tone 
of thought as thofe of Spitta, and fo well 
calculated to promote the object for which 
they were avowedly written — the edification of 
the domeftic circle. Indeed Mils Winkworth 
has already culled the choiceft flowers from 
the earlier writers, and tranfplanted them 
with fo much fkill and fuccefs into our Englifh 
foil, that it would be but a difcouraging talk to 
follow in her track. 

Small as is this collection, it embraces a 
great variety of fubjects, and a curfory glance 
at the Index will at once mow how manv im- 
portant phafes of Chriftian experience are de- 
lineated. To quote the words of a friendly 
critic : " There is hardly a branch of Chriftian 
doctrine and morality which they do not touch 



preface. 



IX 



upon, and on every point they come direct to 
the reafon, feelings and imagination." 

The verification is remarkably fmooth and 
rhythmical, and the meaning clear and per- 
fpicuous. But what particularly diftinguifhes 
thefe hymns is the genuine piety and truly 
Chriftian and Catholic feeling which pervades 
them. Love of Chrift and His word is the 
golden thread which runs through the whole. 
Is it too much to hope, that, by the Divine 
bleffing, fome fpark at leaft of the heavenly 
feeling which animated the author may be im- 
parted, through the means of this tranflation, 
to the heart of the Englifh reader ? My labour 
will not then have been in vain, — if that in- 
deed can be called a labour, which has been 
the delightful recreation and fweeteft folace of 
my leisure hours. 

Addifon remarks, in one of the papers of the 
SpeSfator^ that " a reader feldom perufes a 
book with pleafure till he knows whether the 
writer of it be a black or a fair man, of a mild 
or choleric difpofition, married, or a bachelor, 
with other particulars of a like nature that con- 
duce very much to the right underftanding of 
an author." There is much truth in this re- 
mark, and I mould have been glad if it had 
been in my power to gratify this natural curio- 
fity by communicating any interefting anec- 



X 



preface. 



dotes or information respecting the author. AH, 
however, I have yet been able to learn, has 
been derived from a notice in the Converfations- 
Lexicon^ and confifts chiefly of a meagre fketch 
of the leading incidents in Spitta's life, which 
will, I fear, prove fcarcely more interefting to 
the Englifh reader than the firefide adventures 
of the Vicar of Wakefield^ or his migrations 
from the blue room to the brown. There is, 
however, a portrait at the beginning of the 
book, engraved from a photograph, which will 
convey to the reader fome idea of the author's 
external lineaments, while thofe of his heart 
and mind are with equal fidelity impreffed on 
the hymns themselves. 

Carl Johann Philipp Spitta was born at 
Hanover, on the ift of Auguft, 1801. After 
having ftudied theology at the Univerfity of 
Gottingen from 1 821 to 1824, and fubfequently 
been tutor in a private family for fome years, 
he commenced his minifterial labours in the 
Lutheran Church in the year 1828, as affiftant 
to the paftor of Siidwald, in the Grafschaft of 
Hoya. In 1830 he was appointed chaplain 
to the garrifon and reformatory of Hameln, 
and I infer from the date, that it was while 
occupying this port that he publifhed the col- 
lection of hymns under the title of P falter unci 
Harfe, Leipzic, 1833, which has obtained for 



xi 



him a reputation and popularity in Germany 
only fecond to that of Paul Gerhardt. 

In 1837 he was appointed Paftor at Wef- 
hold, in Hoya. In 1847 ne was P re f erre< i to 
the high ecclefiaftical office of Superintendent, 
at Wittengen, in the principality of Liineburg ; 
and in 1853 to that of Superintendent and chief 
Paftor at Peine, in the principality of Hil- 
derfheim. In all thefe pofitions he is faid to 
have performed the duties of his fecred office 
with much zeal, induftry, and fuccefs. 

To this mere outline of fa£r.s and dates, I 
regret to add that of his death, which occurred 
about the beginning of October 1859, ne 
being at the time Paftor Primarius and Su- 
perintendent, at Burgdorf, in the kingdom of 
Hanover. 

Moft of the hymns have been fet to mufic, 
and a few adapted to congregational finging. 
I am told that the author frequently fang them 
himfelf with his daughters, and fo fweet was 
the harmony of the fongs, accompanied by their 
united voices, that crowds ufed to aftemble 
under their windows to lift en to them. 

It may be neceffary to apprife the reader 
who wifhes to compare the tranflation with 
the original, that I have ventured to alter the 
author's arrangement of the hymns, partly be- 
caufe the nature of the fubjects feemed to fug- 



xii 



^Preface. 



geft it, but chiefly to procure greater variety in 
the metre. The repetition of the fame form 
of trochaic meafure, occurring as it does in one 
hymn after another, at the beginning of the 
book, would have been wearifome to the 
Englifti ear, particularly as the metre itfelf is 
lefs in unifon with the ftru&ure and genius of 
our language than of the German. To ob- 
viate any inconvenience which might arife 
from this change of arrangement, the pages 
of the Englifli and correfponding German 
hymn are given in the Index. 

I may conclude thefe remarks with the words 
of Luther, in his preface to the fine old hymns 
which he has bequeathed as an invaluable birth- 
right to the German nation : 

" Therefore, that fuch beautiful ornament of 
mufic, properly ufed, may tend to the glory of 
our bleffed Creator, and the edifying of Chnf- 
tians, that He be praifed and honoured, and 
that we, having His holy word imprefTed on 
the heart by fweet fongs, be ftrengthened in 
the faith, may God the Father, Son, and Holy 
Ghoft mercifully grant. Amen." * 

R. M. 

Pulford, April i, i860. 



* Martin Luther s Spiritual Songs, tranflated by R. Maflie : 
Hatchard and Son, London 5 H. Roberts, Chefter. 



INDEX. 



The page in the left-hand column is that of the correfponding 



hymn in the German.* 
Page Page 

I Up ! pfaltery and harp ..... 3 

94 Morning ........ 6 

96 Evening . . . . . * . 8 

98 Evening devotion . . . . .10 

86 Joy in creation . . . . . . .11 

88 The beauty of nature . . . . .13 

90 Connder the lilies of the fie]d . . . 14 
9a Winter . . . . . . . .16 

4 The appearance of Chrift . . . . ,18 
125 Patience 20 

6 Weep not for Me 3 but weep for yourfelves . . 22 

8 Eafter - . 24 

12 Whit Sunday 27 

15 The fpirit of the Fathers 30 

23 The fong of fongs . . . . . -33 
35 Comfort in Jefus' love . . , . • 34 
37 Reft in God 36 



* PJalter und Harfe. Eine Sammlung Chriftlicher Lieder, 
zur hauilichen Erbauung, von Carl Johann Philipp Spitta, 
22fte Auflage. Leipzig, 1854. 



XIV 



Page Page 
40 Self-knowledge . . . . . . .38 

43 The Saviour of tinners . . . .40 

47 The Lord is my fhepherd ..... 44 

50 The hour of the Lord . . . . • 47 

52 I am Thine . . . . . . .49 

19 See what love ! . . . . . . • 50 

54 My foul is ftill in God 51 

57 Confidence . . . . . • • 53 

59 I believe ........ 55 

64 God's commandments are not hard . . .57 
61 I will abide with Thee . . . . .59 

66 Ye mall rejoice with unfpeakable joy . . .61 
69 Heavenly guidance ...... 64 

72 Life and contentment in Jefus . . . .66 

69 Turn again . . . ... .69 

75 The vanity of the world . . . . . 71 

78 Our converfation is in heaven . . . .73 

81 The fervant of the Lord 76 

84 Strong in faith, rich in love . . . -79 

100 Salvation is come to this houfe . . . .81 
21 The Word of Life . . . . . .83 

102 The life of faith 85 

27 Unity in the Spirit . . . . . .87 

104 The bleffing of Chriftian fellowihip . . . 89 
99 Comfort in the night . . . . . .91 

107 Devotion . . . . . . . .92 

108 Work in the Lord • 93 

24 The Mirlionaries . . . . . • 95 

110 The Father loveth you . . . . . 97 

113 Faithful in little things . . . . .100 

116 I and my houfe will ferve the Lord . . . 103 
119 The happy lot ....... 106 

122 Abide in Jefus ....... 108 

124 The Chriftian's crofs . . . . . .110 

127 Be ready, for the days are evil . . . .111 



XV 



Page Page 

129 Longing 113 

32 My foul thirfteth after the living God . . . 115 
132 Encouragement . . . . . . . 117 

135 The plant of God's planting . . . .119 

137 A time of dearth . . . . . .121 

140 Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft . . .124 

142 Comfort ........ 126 

145 Pilgrim's fong . . . . . . .128 

149 Parting . . . . . . . .130 

147 Home ficknefs . . . . .132 

151 The Song of dying . . . . . . 134 

153 Chrift has taken away the power of death . .136 

1.55 The grave 138 

157 What mall we be ? 140 



LYRA DOMESTICA 



m 




UP! PSALTERY AND HARP. 

'ONELY was the way and dreary 
Once to Canaan's fair abode ; 
Few there were, who, faint and weary, 

Trod the unfrequented road ; 
For by thoufands mocked and chidden 
They purfued the dangerous way, 
Which appeared as though forbidden 
And beneath a curfe it lay. 

True it is, that Sion's daughters 

Never their fweet home forgat ; 
By Euphrates' filent waters 

Weeping and depreft they fat ; 
On the willow-trees beflde them 

Hung their harps ; for none would ring, 
In a land where foes deride them, 

Songs of praife to Sion's King. 

B 2 




4 



Hgra Bomtstfca. 



As they fpake to one another 

Of the Lord's beloved abode, 
Sighs burft forth they could not Another, 

Tears of bitter anguilh flowed; 
For the heathen hordes had walled 

God's own houfe with open Iriame, 
Till the Lord from heaven halted 

To the help of His great Name. 

From the neighbouring hills defcending, 

Heralds peaceful tidings bear ; 
Songs of home and joy are rending 

With fweet founds the ftartled air. 
On they prefs o'er hill and valley, 

E'en the defert teems with life, 
And mould any feem to dally, 

They are urged with friendly ftrife. 

Yes ! the Lord Himfelf hath fpoken ; 

Strike your tents, be glad of heart ; 
He, whofe word can not be broken, 

Saith, " From Babylon depart." 
God hath heard your fighs, and ended 

Many a year of grief and wrong ; 
Take your harps fo long fufpended, 

Join ye all in grateful fong. 

God, renowned in Ifrael's ftory, 
My Redeemer, God, and King, 

I will magnify Thy glory 

With fweet pialms and tuneful firing. 



%vxz Bonusttta. 



5 



Grateful tribute ever bringing, 
I will praife Thee night and day, 

Songs of joy and triumph tinging, 
As I climb the narrow way. 



6 



MORNING. 

HE purple morning gilds the eaftern 
fkies, 

And what the night had hidden from 
our eyes 

Now (lands revealed to our ad- 
miring gaze ; 
Mountain and valley, wood and fruitful plain, 
Which in their mifty bed afleep had lain, 

Shine forth and glitter in the fun's bright rays. 

Shine in my foul, and light and joy impart, 

blerTed Jefu, Sun of my dark heart, 

O caufe therein the light of truth to mine ; 
Shew me each crooked winding of my heart, 
Change and renew it fo in every part, 

That my whole nature be transformed to Thine. 

Lord, in Thy light O let me walk this day, 

By Thy love prompted, act, and fpeak, and pray, 

As a new creature it becomes to do, 
Whofe aim it is, in all his words and ways, 
To fet forth duly his Creator's praife, 

And, new in heart, in life be alfo new. 

1 pray not, " Take my troubles all away ; " 
It is for love to bear them that I pray, 

And firm belief that all is for my good ; 



Hgra Domesttca. 



7 



That every trouble mull be kindly meant, 
Since from the hands of Him it has been fent, 
Who is my loving Father and my God. 

I pray not that my days may fmoothly run ; 
Ah no ! I pray, " Thy will alone be done ! " 

Yet give a childlike trailing heart to me ; 
Should the earth feek to draw my fpirit down, 

let my heart continue ftill Thine own, 

And draw it upward from the earth to Thee. 

1 pray not, Lord, that Thou wilt quickly end 
The griefs and troubles Thou art pleafed to fend ; 

Be Thou my peace in every trying hour ; 
I alk not heaven at once to enter in, 
But, ere I die, that I may die to fin ; 

Be Thou its death : deftroy its guilt and power. 

Thou Sun, by whom my new life firft was lighted, 
O let me not again become benighted, 

But be my light when fhades around me fpread ; 
With the bright fplendour of Thy heavenly rays 
Illuminate the evening of my days, 

And fhed a halo round my dying head. 




B4 



s 



Hgra Itomwtfca. 



EVENING. 

LORD, who by Thy prefence haft 
made light 
The heat and burden of the toilfome 
day, 

Be with me alfo in the filent night, 
Be with me when the daylight fades away. 
As Thou haft given me ftrength upon the way, 

So deign at evening to become my gueft, 
As Thou haft fhared the labours of the day, 
So alfo deign to lhare and blefs my reft. 

No ftep difturbs me, not a found is heard, 

I commune in my chamber and am ftill, 
And mufe with deep attention on Thy word, 

The faithful record of Thy mind and will. 
O fpeak a word of bleffing, gracious Lord, 

Thy bleffing is endued with foothing power ; 
On the poor heart, worn out with toil, Thy word 

Falls foft and gentle as the evening mower. 

How fad and cold, if Thou be abfent, Lord, 
The evening leaves me, and my heart how dead ! 

But, if Thy prefence grace my humble board, 
I feem with heavenly manna to be fed ; 




Upta Bomcsttca. 



9 



Fraught with rich blemng, breathing Iweet repofe, 
The calm of evening fettles on my breaft ; 

If Thou be with me when my labours clofe, 
No more is needed to complete my reft. 

Come then, O Lord, and deign to be my gueft 

After the day's confufion, toil, and din, 
O come to bring me peace, and joy, and reft, 

To give falvation and to pardon fin- 
Bind up the wounds, affuage the aching fmart 

Left in my bofom from the day juft paft, 
And let me on a Father's loving heart 

Forget my griefs, and find fweet reft at laft, 



10 



Hgra Bomesttca. 



EVENING DEVOTION. 

OW fmiling the day departed, 

How fweetly evening fteals on ! 
How jocund and how merry-hearted 
The birds fmg their evening fong ! 

The flowers have no power of faying 
Their prayers with audible found, 

And yet are they filently praying, 

As they bend their heads to the ground. 

Wherever I look is devotion, 

God's praife is the general theme, 

From the diftant boom of the ocean 
To the voice of the murmuring ftream. 

And all around us is praying 

For reft from the toils of the day, 

And feems as though it were faying, 
" Poor mortal, do thou alfo pray ! " 




Hgra Uomesttta. n 



JOY IN CREATION. 

THOU beautiful Creation, 

Which the Lord's almighty hand, 
For our joy and admiration, 

Hath fo wonderfully planned! 
O how varied are thy features, 
O what love is there dilplayed, 
To delight and blefs the creatures 

Which His power and wifdom made ! 

In the high and heavenly places, 

In the loweft e'er explored, 
We difcern the plainer!: traces 

Of the goodnefs of the Lord ! 
Earth and air, and boundlefs ocean, 

All are mirrors, where we fee, 
Now in ftillnefs, now in motion, 

Love in its immenfity. 

At a diftance, and in nearnefs, 

In the ftar, and in the flower, 
Are infcribed with truth and clearnefs 

God's great wifdom, love, and power. 
Every where we fee the traces, 

Which a child may underftand, 
Of a God, whofe love embraces 

All the works of His own hand. 




12 



Hgra Bomcsttca. 



Oh ! how fweet it is from nature 

To look up to nature's God, 
To a merciful Creator, 

Who in all things feeks our good ; 
Who deferves the confecration 

Of all powers which we poifefs, 
Worfhip, praife, and adoration, 

More than tongue can e'er exprefs ! 

Yes! I know thee, revelation 

Of my Lord in nature traced, 
• Since not only in creation 

I have learnt to fee and tafte 
Thy great love, and mark its traces, 

But in Jefus Chrifl have found 
Love, which every love furpaffes, 

Grace, no mortal man can found. 



Hgra Wmmtfcu. 13 



THE BEAUTY OF NATURE. 



EJOICE in the beautiful earth, 

For well (he deferveth our praife, 
What tongue can declare all the worth, 
Which God to adorn her difplays ! 

And yet, tho' fo richly endowed, 
She is only the work of His hands, 

A creature, which well may be proud 
To do whatfoe'er He commands. 

Rejoice in the moon and the fun, 

And the liars brightly Ihining by night, 

As the courfe, God appoints them, they run, 
And lend us their luftre and light. 

And yet, while they mine on our globe, 
They are only the work of His hand, 

The fpangles adorning His robe, 

The creatures that wait His command. 

If then but His handiwork here 

Such bleffings already impart, 
O what mull our rapture be there, 

To repofe on His fatherly heart ! 




Hgra Bomtsttca. 



CONSIDER THE LILIES OF THE FIELD ! 

WEET lily of the Held, declare 

Whofe hand it was that made, 
And in fuch beauty placed thee there, 
Before mine eyes difplayed ? 



How white the robe which thou hail: on, 

With golden duft o'erlaid ! 
In all his glory, Solomon 

Like thee was not arrayed. 

God raifed thee from the earth, fweet flower, 

And tends thee with delight, 
And fends thee, in the Hill calm hour, 

An angel in the night. 

Thy robes He wafhes in the dew, 

And dries them in the air, 
And bleaches them in funfhine too, 

To make them bright and fair. 

Sweet lily of the field, although 
Thou haft no voice nor fpeech, 

Thou doft a bright example mew, 
A ufeful leilon teach. 




Ugra Bomtsttca. 15 



Sweet lily of the field, by thee 
This leffon I am taught : 

God cares for little flowers like me, 
Take then no anxious thought. 



i6 



Upra Bomcstica. 



WINTER. 

T is winter : all feems dead or dying, 

Solitude throughout all nature reigns ; 
She herfelf, like fome fair corpfe, is lying 
In the meet which fhrouds her wide 
domains . 

Her dear children ileep beneath their awning. 

Sheltered fafely in their mother's breaft, 
Dreaming of the refurredlion morning, 

When the fpring mail wake them from their reft. 

Thou, O earth, art ftript of all thy beaut}-, 

All thy boafted glory now has fled, 
Thou thyfelf doft preach to us our duty 

In a folemn fermon o'er the dead. 
Earth can yield us no enduring pleafure, 

We muft part from that which moft we love ; 
W r ould'ft thou feek an everlafting treafure, 

Raife thy thoughts to heaven and things above. 

Let the earth herfelf to heaven direct thee, 

Seek not here thy home, but journey on 
To the manfions, where the friends expect thee. 

Who before thee are already gone. 
Vainly feek'ft thou here what thou defireft, 

Therefore fpeed thee on thy heavenward way ; 
Every thing which thou from earth requireil 

Is enough to hide thy mouldering clay. 




ILgra Domtsttca. 



*7 



But when Eafter fongs again awaken 

Thofe who ftill are fleeping in the duft, 
Earth fhall bring the treafures flie has taken, 

And difcharge her folemn facred truft. 
Think not here to find enduring pleafure, 

Earth porTefTes nothing of her own ; 
Let her lead thee to the one true treafure, 

Joy in heaven at God's eternal throne. 




c 



1 8 Hgra Domesttca. 



THE APPEARANCE OF CHRIST, 

HRIST, whole firft appearance lighted 

Gloomy death's obfcure domain, 
Long, in Herod's courts benighted, 

Sought I Thee, but fought in vain ; 
All was glitter, pomp, and pleaiiire, 
Senfuality, and pride, 
But my heart found not its treafure, 
And remained unfa tis fled, 

Then to learned fcribes and fages, 

Seeking Chrift, I wandered on, 
But upon their barren pages 

Jacob's ilar had never fhone ; 
True indeed, like men in prison 

Groping for the light of day, 
Spake they of the L ; ght new-rifen, 

But themfelves saw not one ray. 

To the temple I was guided 

By the altar-fire and lights, 
But, though ail elfe was provided, 

Chrift was abfent from the rites. 
Then more precious time I wafted 

In thy fbreets, Jerufalem, 
But I fought in vain, and hailed 

On my way to Bethlehem. 




Hgra Bonusttta. 



l 9 



In the ftreets I wandered flowly, 

Looking for fome trufly guide ; 
All was dark and melancholy, 

None I met with far and wide. 
On a fudden I perceived 

O'er my head a ftar to mine ; 
Lo, becaufe I had believed, 

And had fought Him, Chrift was mine. 

Only feek, and you will find Him, 

Never ceafe to feek the Lord ; 
And mould He delay, remind Him 

Boldly of His plighted word. 
Follow Him, and He will lead you ; 

Truft Him in the darker!: night ; 
Jacob's ftar will ftill precede you, 

Jacob's ftar will give you light. 




c a 



20 



PATIENCE. 

GENTLE angel wendeth 

Throughout this world of woe, 
Whom God in mercy fendeth 

To comfort us below. 
Her looks a peace abiding 
And holy love proclaim; 
O follow then her guiding, 
Sweet Patience is her name ! 

She leads us through this tearful 

And forrow-ftricken land, 
And fpeaks, religned and cheerful, 

Of better days at hand ; 
And when thou art defpairing, 

She bids thee clear thy brow, 
Herfelf thy burden fharing, 

More hopeful far than thou. 

She fobers into fadnefs 

Thy grief's exceffive fmart, 
And fteeps in peace the madnefs 

And tumult of the heart. 
The darker!: hour Ihe maketh 

As bright as fun at noon, 
And heals each wound that achethj 

Full furely, if not foon. 




Hgra Uomcsttca, 



21 



Thy falling tears me chides not, 

But pours in healing balm ; 
Thy longing fhe derides not, 

But makes devout and calm ; 
And when in ftormy feafons 

Thou afkeft, murmuring, why ? 
She giveth thee no reafons, 

But fmiling points on high. 

To every doubt and queftion 

She cares not to reply ; 
" Bear on," is her fuggeftion, 

" Thy refting-place is nigh." 
Thus by thy fide me walketh, 

A true and conftant friend, 
Not over much me talketh, 

But thinks " O happy end ! " 



22 



WEEP NOT FOR ME, BUT WEEP FOR 
YOURSELVES. 

HEREFORE weep we over Jefus, 
O'er His death and bitter fmart ? 
Weep we rather, that He fees us 

Unconvinced and hafd of heart ; 
For His foul was never tainted 
With the fmalleft fpot or ftain, 
' Twas for us He was acquainted 
With fuch depths of grief and pain. 

Ah! what profits it with groaning 
Underneath His crofs to ftand ; 
Ah ! what profits our bemoaning 

His pale brow and bleeding hand ; 
Wherefore gaze on Him expiring, 
Railed at, pierced, and crucified, 
Whilrt we think not of enquiring, 
Wherefore and for whom He died ? 

If no fin could be difcovered 

In the pure and fpotlefs Lord, 
If the cruel death He fufFered 

Is fin's juft and meet reward ; 
Then it mull have been for others 
That the Lord on Calvary bled, 
And the guilt have been a brother's, 
Which was laid upon His head. 




Hgra IBomesttca. 



2 3 



And for whom hath He contended 

In a ftrife fo ftrange and new ? 
And for whom to hell defcended ? 

Brothers ! 'twas for me and you ! 
Now you fee that He was reaping 

Punifhment for us alone ; 
And we have great caufe for weeping 

Not for His guilt, but our own. 

If we then make full confemon, 

Joined with penitence and prayer, 
If we fee our own tranfgreffion 

In the punifhment He bare, 
If we mourn with true repentance, 

We mail hear the Saviour fay : 
" Fear not, I have borne your fentence, 

Wipe your bitter tears away." 




c 4 



24 Hgra Itomegtte. 



EASTER DAY. 

UN, fhine forth in all thy fplendour, 

Joyfully purfue thy way, 
For thy Lord and my Defender 
Rofe triumphant on this day. 
When He bowed His head, fore troubled 
Thou didft hide thyfelf in night ; 
Shine forth now with rays redoubled, 
He is rifen who is thy Light. 

Earth, be joyous and glad-hearted, 

Spread out all thy vernal bloom ; 
For thy Lord is not departed, 

He has broken through the tomb. 
When the Lord expired, wide-yawning 

Thy ftrong rocks were rent with fright ; 
Greet thy rifen Lord this morning, 

Bathed in floods of rofy light 

Say, my foul, what preparation 

Makeft thou for this high day, 
When the God of thy falvation 

Opened tnrough the tomb a way ? 
Dwelleft thou with pure affection 

On this proof of power and love ? 
Doth thy Saviour's refurrection 

Raife thy thoughts to things above ? 




ilgra Botmsttca. 



25 



Hail thou, borne on faith's flrong pinion, 

Rifen with the rifen Lord ? 
And, releafed from lin's dominion, 

Into purer regions foared ? 
Or art thou, in fpite of warning, 

Dead in trefpafTes and fin ? 
Hath to thee the purple morning 

No true Earlier ufhered in ? 

O then let not death o'ertake thee 

By the fhades of night o'erfpread ; 
See, thy Lord is come to wake thee, 

He is rifen from the dead. 
While the time as yet allows thee, 

Hear ; the gracious Saviour cries, 
" Sleeper, from thy floth aroufe thee, 

To new life at once arife." 

See, with looks of tender pity 

He extends His wounded hands, 
Bidding thee, with fond entreaty, 

Shake off lin's enthralling bands : 
" Wait not for fome future meetnefs, 

Dread no punilhment from me, 
Roufe thyfelf and tafle the fweetnefs 

Of the new life offered thee." 

Let no precious time be wafled, 

To new life arife at length, 
He, who death for thee hath tailed, 

For new life will give new ilrength ; 



26 



Hgra Bonusttca. 



Try to rife, at once beftir thee, 
Still prefs on and perfevere, 

Let no wearinefs deter thee, 

He, who woke thee, ftill is near. 

Wafte not fo much time in weighing 

When and where thou lhalt begin ; 
Too much thinking is delaying, 

Rivets but the chains of fin. 
He will help thee, and provide thee 

With a courage not thine own, 
Bear thee in His arms, and guide thee, 

Till thou learn'ft to walk alone. 

See, thy Lord Himfelf is rifen, 

That thou mighteft alfo rife, 
And emerge from fin's dark prifon 

To new fife and open Ikies. 
Come to Him, who can unbind thee 

And reverie thy awful doom, 
Come to Him, and leave behind thee 

Thy old fife — an empty tomb ! 



Hgra 1Bqvm%Um. 27 



WHITSUNDAY. 

RAW, Holy Spirit, nearer, 
And in our hearts abide ; 
O make our judgment clearer, 

Our minds inform and guide, 
O come, Thou great Renewer, 
Touch heart and lip with fire ; 
Make every bofom truer, 
Our aims and objecls higher. 

O come, Thou true Confoler, 

Thou Fire, that warms the cold, 
The haughty breaft's Controler, 

O come and make us bold. 
On all fides danger threatens ; 

Lord, to our fuccour come, 
And arm us with the weapons 

Of early Chriftendom. 

Hard unbelief and folly 

The truth of God deny ; 
O arm us, Lord moil holy, 

With weapons from on high: 
With faith that never falters, 

Unmoved by fear or praife, 
With love that never alters, 

And hope in darker! days. 




28 



We need a free confeffion 

In this our lukewarm age, 
A frank and full profeffion 

In fpite of fcorn and rage ; 
To friend alike and foeman, 

On this or heathen ground, 
To every man and woman 

The Gofpel trump to found. 

Where'er Thy word is founded, 

In far and favage lands, 
The heathen are confounded, 

And call off Satan's bands. 
On every fide they waken 

To hear Thy bleiTed word ; 
Shall it from us be taken, 

By us remain unheard ? 

On us, O Thou moll holy, 

Thy wrath doth juftly fall, 
Who hear, yet, through our folly, 

Have not obeyed the call. 
Let us with deep proftration 

Implore God's grace, that thus 
The word of His falvation 

Be not withdrawn from us. 

Give power to thofe who witnefs 
And preach Thy holy word, 

That all may tafte its fweetnefs, 
And rally round the Lord. 



Hgra Bomesttca. 



29 



Be this our preparation, 
A heart and tongue of fire, 

That this our proclamation 
May fpeed as we delire ! 



30 



THE SPIRIT OF THE FATHERS. 

PIRIT, by whofe operation 

Faith and holinefs proceed, 
Source of heavenly converfation, 

Strength in weaknefs, help in need 
Spirit, by whofe infpiration 
Prophets and Apoitles fpake. 
Martyrs bled, and tribulation 
Saints endured for Jefus' fake ! 

Lord, endue us with Thy bleffing, 

That, though babes we be in grace, 
Faith, and love, and zeal pofTeffing 

For Thy houfe and holy place. 
We may ftake our deareft treafures, 

All the good things of this life, 
Honour, wealth, and darling pleafures, 

In the great and holy ftrife. 

Give us Abram's faith unfhaken 

That the promife mull be true, 
And what God hath undertaken 

He alTuredly will do ; 
Which not only could unmoved 

Trull the covenant of grace, 
But the thing which he molt Joved 

At the Lord's difpofal place. 




Hgra Bomesttca. 



31 



Give us Jofeph's charte behaviour, 

When the world with crafty wiles 
Seeks to draw us from the Saviour 

To herfelf, with frowns or fmiles ; 
Give us grace and ftrength for fhunning 

This enfnaring Potiphar, 
Wisdom to elude her cunning, 

Strength her open hate to bear. 

Give us Mofes' interceiuon, 

When he pleaded, wept, and prayed, 
That the people's fore tranfgreiTion 

Might not to their charge be laid. 
Let us not with felfifh coldnefs 

See the linner go aftray, 
But with Mofes' holy boldnefs 

Plead and wreftle, weep and pray. 

Give us David's bold defiance 

Of the Lord's and Ifrael's foes, 
And, in trouble, the reliance, 

Which on God, his Rock, he mows ; 
His right princely difpolition, 

Friendfhip, conftancy, and truth, 
But ftill more his deep contrition 

For the errors of his youth. 

Arm us with the ilern decifion 

Of Elijah, in thefe days, 
When men, led by fuperftition, 

To falfe gods new altars raife. 



3 2 



Hgra Domesttca. 



Let us ihun the mere profeffion 
Common in our days and land, 

Witneffmg a good confeffion, 
Even if alone we Hand. 

Give us the Apoftles' daring, 

And their bold undaunted mood, 
Threats and fierce reproaches bearing, 

To proclaim a Saviour's blood. 
Let us to the truth bear witnefs, 

Which alone can make us free, 
Nor leave off, until its fweetnefs 

All lhall tafte and know through Thee. 

Give us Stephen's look collected, 

And his calm and cheerful mind, 
When we meet with unexpected 

Trials of the lharpeft kind. 
In the midft of fhouts and crying, 

Let us with compofure fland ; 
Open heaven to us in dying, 

Show us Chrifl at God's right hand. 

Spirit, by whofe operation 

Faith and love and might are given, 
Source of holy converfation, 

Bearing feed and fruit for heaven ; 
Spirit, by whofe infpiration 

Prophets and apoftles fpake, 
Vifit us with Thy falvation, 

Dwell with us for Jems' fake. 



ILgra Domtsttca. 



33 



THE SONG OF SONGS. 

HERE is a fong fo thrilling, 
So far all fongs excelling, 
That they who ling it, ling it oft again 
No mortal did invent it, 
But God by angels fent it, 
So deep and earner!:, yet fo fweet and plain. 

The love, which it revealeth, 

All earthly forrows healeth ; 
They flee like mift before the break of day. 

When, O my foul, thou learnefh 

That fong of fongs in earneft, 
Thy cares and troubles all mail pafs away. 




34 



COMFORT IN JESUS' LOVE. 

TILL on Thy loving heart let me 
repofe, 

Jefu, fweet Author of my joy and 
reft; 

O let me pour my forrows, cares, and 
woes, 

Into Thy true and lympathifing breaft. 
Thy love grows never cold, but its pure flame 

Seems every day more ftrong and bright to glow, 
Thy truth remains eternally the fame, 

Pure and unfallied as the mountain fnow. 

O what is other love compared with Thine, 

Of fuch high value, fuch eternal worth ! 
What is man's love compared with love divine, 

Which never changes in this changing earth : 
Love, which in this cold world grows never cold, 

Love, which decays not with the world's decay, 
Love, which is young when all things ehe grow old, 

Which lives when heaven and earth fhall pafs 
away ! 

How little love unchangeable and fixed 
In this dark valley doth to man remain, 

With what unworthy motive is it mixed, 
How full of grief, uncertainty, and pain P 




Upra Itomestfca. 



35 



Love is the object, which attracts all eyes, 
We win it, and already fear to part, 

A thoufand rivals watch to feize the prize, 
And tear the precious idol from our heart, 

But Thou, in fpite of our offences paft, 

And thofe, alas ! which flill in us are found, 
Hail loved us, Jefus, with a love fo vaft, 

No fpan can reach it, and no plummet found. 
Though the poor love we give Thee in return 

Should seem extinguifhed, Thine is ever true, 
Its sacred fire eternally doth burn. 

Though everlafting, always frefh and new. 

Thou, who art ever ready to embrace 

All thofe who truly after Thee enquire, 
Thou, who haft promifed in Thy heart a place 

To all who love Thee and a place defire ; 
O Lord, when I am anxious and depreft, 

And dim with tears mine eyes can hardly fee, 
O let me lean upon Thy faithful breaft, 

Rejoicing that e'en I am loved by Thee. 




D 2, 



36 



REST IN GOD. 

N vain thou feekeft in thyfelf to find 
Light, life, and joy, or any lafting 
peace ; 

Return to God, feek Him with all thy 
mind, 

The one true fource of life and happinefs. 
Return to Him, poor erring child of man, 
Where firft thy being and thy life began, 
Let all thy longings be to Him addreft, 
Then and then only malt thou find true reft. 

But ah ! thou canft not go to Him, for fee, 

A mighty wall of feparation ftands 
Built up by fin between thy God and thee ; 

Behold, thy Saviour ftretches out His hands, 
And opens to thee through His precious blood 
A way of peace and accefs to thy God : 
He, who broke down that wall and fets thee free, 
Hath borne thy guilt and thy iniquity. 

Lo, thy Creator gave thee life at firft, 
Thy Saviour doth a fecond life beftow ; 

He gives thee water to afluage thy thirft, 

A guide to lead thee through this vale of woe ; 




Hyra Bomcsttca. 



37 



His Spirit giveth fight unto the blind, 
Peace to the heart and clearnefs to the mind, 
New ftrength and motives virtue to purfue, 
The love of God, and heaven itfelf in view. 

Behold thee now returned to thy true reft ! 

Through the thin veil of time thy joyful eyes 
Difcern the happy manfions of the bleft a 

And heaven's bright walls in dim perfpective rife. 
In fear no longer of a Father's rod, 
Thou feel' ft that thou art reconciled to God, 
And, though thy troubles do not wholly ceafe, 
Haft a fweet foretafte of thy future blils. 

Then feek not here in vain a refting place, 
Nor in thyfelf expect to find repoie ; 

Such feeking only aggravates thy cafe, 

And is embittered with a thoufand woes ; 

Such feeking wearies, but can not impart 

The peace it longs for to the aching heart ; 

Sleep may weigh down the eyes by care oppreft, 

But heavy flumber is not peaceful reft. 

Cradle an infant on the fofteft bed, 

Soothe it with fongs of lullaby to reft, 
More gently will it lay its little head, 

More fweetly flumber on its mother's breaft ; 
Where the flrft draught of health and life it found, 
There will its fleep be fweet, its flumber found ; 
Return, my foul, to God, thine only reft, 
Then and then only art thou truly bleft. 

d 3 



38 



ILgta Bomesttca 



SELF-KNOWLEDGE. 

AN hath his anxious feafons, 

Much pain not underftood ; 
Nor can he tell his reafons, 

Till he difcovers God : 
When firft he comprehended* 
How juft He is and true, 
His dream of goodnefs endeth, 
His fins come all to view. 

With Thee, O Lord, acquainted, 

He learns to look within, 
And fees his heart is tainted, 

And full, alas ! of fin. 
From Thy great power he learneth 

How vile he is and bafe, 
His nakednefs difcerneth 

In Thy abounding grace. 

O goodnefs paft expreflion, 

Which brings not to our view 
The height of our tranfgreffion, 

Until it mews us too 
A mode of expiation 

Through ChriiVs atoning bloody 
A full and free falvation, 

And blifsful reft with God ! 




Ugra Bomesttca. 



39 



What need we to content us, 

Since God gives us fo much ? 
What fears can now torment us, 

Since His great love was fuch, 
That ere we comprehended 

Our fin, diftrefs, and lofs, 
The mighty work was ended 

Which faved us on the crofs ? 

Should greater be my gladnefs 

That Thou fuch love doll mew, 
Or greater ftill my fadnefs 

That I have grieved Thee fo ? 
Ah ! both alike are needful, 

To know how poor I be, 
And yet not be unheedful 

How rich I am in Thee. 

happy hour of fadnefs 
And pain not underftood, 

Which endeth in fuch gladnefs 

And everlafting good ! 
Mine eyes upraifed to heaven 

With tears of joy run o'er : 

1 know I am forgiven ; 

Ah ! what can I want more ? 



40 Hgra Bomwtfca. 



THE SAVIOUR OF SINNERS. 

ESUS, Friend of ilnners, 
Move my foul, I pray Thee, 
Both to choose Thee and obey Thee, 
And in Thee difcover 
Daily fome new treafure, 
Depths of love no line can meafure ; 
O may I, 
Drawn thereby, 
Follow, where Thou goeft, 
Who the true way fheweft. 

While my life remaineth, 
Deepen my impreffion 
Of the guilt and great tranfgrelTion 

Which Thou haft forgiven ; 
That my heart's afFedlion, 
Sweetly drawn by this refledion, 
May arife 
To the fkies, 
With Thee ever living, 
By faith, with thankfgiving. 

Some new fin or other 
Daily I difcover, 

Which if Thou, Lord, didft not cover, 
I might juftly tremble ; 




Upra Bomtstua. 



I am weak and ailing, 

Daily Humbling, hourly failing ; 

But Thy blood, 

Lamb of God, 

Which from all fin cleanfes, 

Blots out my offences. 

Ere the voice of Jefus 
Yet had found and called me, 
Sin, alas ! had fo enthralled me, 

And fo firmly bound me, 
That without refinance, 
Helplefs, hopelefs of aliiftance, 
To her fway, 
Night and day, 
I, alas ! confented, 
Though by her tormented. 

But lince Thou, my Saviour, 
Didft bring help and freedom 
From this fpiritual Edom, 

Tho' fin hath no longer 
In vile bondage held me, 
Nor to do her will compelled me 
Yet doth fhe 
Constantly 

Struggle to recall me, 
And again enthrall me. 

Ah ! how fweet Thy promife, 
In Thine arms to bear us 5 



4 2 



And that none from Thee fhall tear us : 

And fhoukTft Thou permit us 
Now and then to Humble, 
J Tis alone to keep us humble ; 
Soon would fin 
Victory win, 

Didft not Thou defend us, 
And Thy fuccour lend us. 

Thou art ftill our helper, 
For us interceding, 
With the Father warmly pleading, 

That He would forgive us 
All our great offences, 
And bear with our negligences. 
To us all, 
When we fall, 

Thy blood brings fweet healing, 
Our forgivenefs fealing. 

Through the blood of Jefus 
We have now remiffion 
Of our fins, and free admiffion 

Into the moil Holy ; 
Nor will He forfake us, 
Though fin fhould fometimes o'ertake us : 
They are clean 
From all fin, 
Who in Him are living, 
Sprinkled, wafhed, forgiven. 

Truth by man unfathomed ! 
Love that hath no ending ! 



Grace all human thought tranfcending ! 

Who can e'er forget it, 
How He died to fave us, 
How He pitied and forgave us r 
Who can them 
Now condemn, 
Whom He hath forgiven, 
And made heirs of heaven ? 



44 ^B*a Itomegttca, 



THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD. 

HEAR my Shepherd calling, 

And inftantly obey, 
And climb, though fometimes falling, 

The fteep and rugged way. 
Though often at a diftance, 
I ftrive to follow Hill, 
And offer no refinance 
To His moft bleffed will. 

Thou fhew'ft Thyfelf the greater!, 

When greater!: my diftrefs, 
Thy comforts are the fweeteft 

In days of bitternefs. 
Sometimes my courage fails me, 

My ilrength feems well nigh gone, 
But ftill Thy grace avails me, 

Thy Ilrength ftill helps me on. 

Sometimes I figh for morning 

In forrow's gloomy night, 
When lo, already dawning, 

The day brings joy and light. 
Sometimes my griefs enclofe me 

In every form and fhape, 
But God in mercy mews me 

A method of efcape. 




Uma Bomcsttca. 



45 



Sometimes dark thoughts Ileal o'er me 

Here in this vale of tears, 
The future, fpread before me, 

So overcaft appears. 
The word of Thy falvation 

Speaks comfort to my breaft, 
In midft of tribulation 

I find in Thee true reft. 

Old fins oft leave behind them 

Deep fears, which wound me ftill ; 
Thou knoweft how to bind them, 

And heal them with great (kill. 
I often link down weary 

And heart-fick on the road, 
But Thou art nigh to cheer me 

And eafe me of my load. 

My gracious Guide and Mailer, 

Thy wandering meep O feek, 
Fain would I follow rafter, 

But am, alas ! too weak ; 
O come to help and guide me, 

When I can not proceed, 
If Thou art, Lord, befide me, 

I muft perforce fucceed. 

Soon mall I ceafe to wander ; 

The day may be at hand, 
When Thou malt take me yonder 

To my dear Fatherland ; 



4 6 



Hgra 33omcstica. 



There mall my chief employment 
Confift in praifing Thee, 

With ever new enjoyment, 
Throughout eternity. 



Hgra Bomesttca. 



47 



THE HOUR OF THE LORD. 

IS not yet the hour appointed ! " 
I make anfwer to my heart, 
When depreft and difappointed 

It is longing to depart : 
Wait awhile and hold thee ftill, 
He doth well who waits God's will. 

When a thoufand griefs and troubles 

Leave no reft by day or night, 
When the ftorm its force redoubles, 

And is almoft at its height, 
Patiently abide His will 
At whofe word the waves are ftill. 

Every vefTel muft be drained, 

Cups of joy and cups of grief, 
Truft in God with faith unfeigned, 

Look to Him for thy relief: 
When all human counfel fails, 
Then it is that God prevails. 

When the flood is rifing higher, 

Till it overflows the brink, 
Then the Comforter draws nigher, 
Ah ! much nigher than w T e think, 
For it grieves Him to the heart 
To behold our bitter fmart. 




48 



Hgra Bomtsttca. 



Ah ! it is with no hard Mailer, 
No hard Lord we have to do ; 

If we bear each new difafler 

With calm faith and patience too, 

We mail foon experience this : 

It will come, — that hour of blifs. 

Doit thou, heart, demand iome token 
That the Lord will give thee rest ? 

Trull the word which He hath fpoken, 
His own time muft be the beft ; 

Suffer, truft, and hope on ftill, 

End right well it muft and will. 

O the hour of our exemption 

From all pain, distrefs, and woe ! 

O the hour of our redemption 

E'en from death, our laft grim foe ! 

Sweet as funftiine after mower 

Will be that all- glorious hour. 




Hgra Dotmsttca. 49 



I AM THINE. 

HY will I cheerfully obey, 
Both when Thou giv'ft and tak'ft away ; 
I follow, wherefoe'er Thou leadeft, 
I ftiun whatever Thou forbiddeft ; 
Do as Thou wilt, O Lord, provided 
I never be from Thee divided. 

I am not bent on mine own will, 

But rather wifh, devout and ftill, 

To make Thy blefTed will and pleafure 

The rule by which mine own I meafure ; 

To Thee alone my ways commending 

From the beginning to the ending. 

I were indeed a very fool 

To make mine own blind will my rule ; 

I have a thoufand times outwitted, 

Deceived, betrayed myfelf, and cheated, 

Nor have I ever found a blelling 

In ways felf-chofen and felf-plealing. 

Through all my life how gracioufly 
Haft Thou, my Saviour, dealt with me ! 
How often kept my feet from falling, 
And heard me e'en before my calling ! 
Nor fnould I e'er have chofen Thee, 
Hadft Thou not, Lord, firft chofen me. 

E 




So 



Hgra Bomcsttca. 



SEE WHAT LOVE. 

EE, O fee, what love the Father 
Hath bellowed upon our race, 
How He bends with fweet companion 

Over us His beaming face ! 
See how He His belt and deareft 
For the very worft hath given, 
His own Son for us poor fmners, 
See, O fee, the love of heaven ! 

See, O fee, what love the Saviour 

Alfo hath on us beftowed, 
How He Wed for us and fufFered, 

How He bare the heavy load ! 
On the crofs and in the garden 

Oh how fore was His diftrefs ! 
Is not this a love that pafieth 

Aught that tongue can e'er exprefs ? 

See, O fee, what love is fhewn us 

Alfo by the Holy Ghoft, 
How He ftrives with us poor fmners 

Even when we fin the mofi, 
Teaching, comforting, correcting, 

Where He fees it needful is ! 
O what heart would not be thankful 

For a three-fold love like this ? 




Hgra Bomcstica. 



5i 



MY SOUL IS STILL IN GOD. 

Y foul in God abideth ftill, 

And ceafeth her complaining ; 
Let Him do with me what He will. 

While life is yet remaining ; 
He is my Lord, His fervant I, 
Do what He will, I alk not why ; 
His ways are truth and mercy. 

And yet 'tis hard to be quite ftill a 

And by diftruft. offend not, 
When things appear to turn out ill, 

And God we comprehend not ; 
Blind Reafon fummons to her bar 
God's Providence for things that are 

Too deep for her to fathom ! 

st Why this, why that r " we oft demand 

In our prefumptuous cavil ; 
" This tangled web the wifeft hand 

Can furely not unravel ; 
Surely my troubles are too great, 
I have deferved a better fate 

Than Providence allots me." 

Meantime my God is filent long, 
Until the glorious iiTue 




52 



Itgra Bomcsttca. 



Shews that no thread was woven wrong 

In all the wondrous thTue ; 
Until at laft the hour is come, 
When full of fhame I muft ftand dumb 

In prefence of my Maker. 

Therefore my foul, abide thou ftU] 

In God, in every feafon, 
Who orders all things by His will, 

And not thy feeble reafon : 
And when the end mail make quite clear 
The things which now fo dark appear, 

Thou fhalt give God the glory. 

Then wilt thou have great caufe for praife, 
That, confcious of thy blindnefs, 

Thou didft not murmur in dark days, 
Nor doubt God's loving kindnefs ; 

And when thy waiting time is o'er, 

Thou fhalt praife God for evermore 
For all His wondrous mercies. 



ILgra Bomcsttca. 53 



CONFIDENCE. 

PLACE mvfelf in Jefas' hands 

And there abide for ever ; 
No griefs, no joys, mall loofe the bands, 

Nor our fweet union fever ; 
In thofe dread days 
When earth decays, 

Who flays on Him, and whom He flays, 
Shall be preferred for ever. 

A Rock and Caflle is the Lord, 
And they mail fee and wonder 

Who build on His almighty word, 
And thereon deeply ponder ; 

And what He faith, 

In life and death, 

My heart mail trull with fleadfafl faith, 
Though earth be rent afunder. 

Let Him do with me what He will, 

He cannot fail to pleafe me, 
I cleave to Him with flrong faith flail, 

And hope that He will biefs me ; 
He mufl be blefl 
Who loves Him befl, 
And on His word doth firmly reft ; 

Lord, with this truth imprefs me. 
e 3 




54 Hb*3 IBomestura. 



When things are at their worft, I will 

Still joy in His protection, 
Who loves to bring out good from ill, 

And grieves in my affliction : 
His trials fent 
Are all well meant, 
His blows a Father's chaftifement, 

And tokens of affection. 

My confidence unfhaken Hands 

Upon His blefTed promife, 
That none mail pluck us from His hands, 

Nor any foe o'ercome us. 
He will not break 
The word He fpake, 
He will not leave us nor forfake, 

Nor take His Spirit from us. 



55 



I BELIEVE. 

BELIE VE, and fo have fpoken : 
Hear what God hath done for 
me ! 

I believe* and by this token 
I confefs Him openly, 
That there is no Name, whereby 
Sinners can be faved, but His, 
God Himfelf, the Lord moll High, 
Jefus Chrift, our Righteousnefs. 

I believe, and therefore ever 

Will I love my God and Guide \ 
I believe, and therefore never 

Shall aught move me from His fide ; 
And to all will I declare, 

That my faving health is He, 
And that where He is not, there 

I wifh not myfelf to be. 

I believe, and therefore fhun not 

Troubles which the Lord ordains ; 
I beheve, and therefore run not, 

But gird up my loins and reins ; 
Many a victory have I won, 

Oft flood firm by fin enticed : 
And by whom was all this done ? 

In Thy flrength, Lord Jefu Chrifl. 
e 4 




5 6 



ILgra Bomesttca. 



I believe, and therefore link not 

Under grief, diftrefs, and pain ; 
I believe, and therefore fhrink not 

E'en from death, for death is gain ; 
For He gives me health and ftrength 

Even in the laft dread ftrife, 
And lhall bring me fafe at length 

Into everlafting life. 

Suffer not my faith to fail me, 

But uphold me with Thy hand, 
That, whatever foes aflail me, 

I may reach the promifed land. 
Jefus, Thou my Jofhua be, 

Let me follow in Thy train, 
That I may at laft with Thee 

In the heavenly Canaan reign. 



lima Bomtsttta. 



GOD'S COMMANDMENTS ARE NOT 
HARD. 




T is not after all fo hard 

To be a happy man ; 
We give ourfelves unto the Lord, 

And do the bell: we can. 



Not flaves but fons, we gladly do 

Whatever we are told, 
And with our love increafes too 

Our joy a thoufand fold. 

We work with filent induftry, 
Unconicious of the toil, 

As of itfelf fome goodly tree 
Bears fruit in fertile foil. 

Our daily talk we enter on 

With willing hearts and hands ; 

The Lord in us hath always done 
What He from us demands. 



In all He wills we acquiefce, 
AfTured that it is beft ; 

At every time, in every place, 
With Him we mult be bleft. 



58 Hgra Utomesttca. 



Thus doth the Chriftian thrive and grow, 
Though poor, a wealthy man, 

And if we can't be happy fo, 
I know not how we can. 



59 



I WILL ABIDE WITH THEE. 

N Thy fervice will I 'ever, 

Jefus, my Redeemer, ftay ; 
Nothing me from Thee lhall fever, 

Gladly would I go Thy way. 
Life in me Thy life produces, 
And gives vigour to my heart, 
As the vine doth living juices 
To the purple grape impart. 

Could I be in other places 

Half fo happy as with Thee, 
Who fo many gifts and graces 

Haft Thyfelf prepared for me ? 
No place could be half fo fitted 

To impart true joy, I ween, 
Since to Thee, O Lord, committed 

Power in heaven and earth hath been. 

Where lhall I find fuch a Mafter, 

Who hath done my foul fuch good, 
And retrieved the great difafter 

Sin fir ft caufed, by His own blood ? 
Is not He my rightful owner, 

Who for me His own life gave ? 
Were it not a foul dilhonour 

Not to love Him to the grave ? 




6o 



Hgra iBomesttca. 



Yes, Lord Jefus, I am ever 

Thine in for row and in joy ; 
Death the union fhall not fever, 

Nor eternity deftroy. 
I am waiting, yea, am fighing 

For my fummons to depart ; 
He is beft prepared for dying 

Who in life is Thine in heart. 

Let Thy light on me be mining 

When the day is almoft gone, 
When the evening is declining, 

And the night is drawing on ; 
Blefs me, O my Father, laying 

Both Thy hands on my meek head, 
ce Here thy day is ended," faying, 

" Yonder live the faithful dead." 

Stay befide me, when the ftillnefs 

And the icy touch of death 
Fill my trembling foul with chillnefs, 

Like the morning's frofty breath ; 
As my failing eyes grow dimmer, 

Let my fpirit grow more bright, 
As I fee the fir ft faint glimmer 

Of the everlafting light. 




Upra Bomcsttca. 61 



YE SHALL REJOICE WITH UNSPEAKABLE 
JOY. 

HOW fhall I defcribe the pleasure, 
Which penetrates my inmoft 
frame, 

That I may call the Lord my trea- 
fure, 

My Saviour and Redeemer name ; 
That in my greater!: tribulation 
I may find Him my confolation, 
And hope, through faith in God's dear Son, 
That my true joy has now begun ! 

Couldft thou once know, O unbeliever, 

The truth to which thou haft been blind, 
Thou wouldft awake, as from a fever, 

In grief and agony of mind. 
Couldft thou but tafte one hour the bleffing 
Of inward peace and joy pofferTing, 
Thou wouldft not lofe another day, 
But come to Chrift without delay. 

Time was, when I myfelf have tafted 

The joys this cold world can beftow ; 
Vv hen precious hours in vain I wafted, 
And pierced myfelf with many a woe • 




62 



Hgra Itomtstfta. 



From flower to flower like infects hailing, 
And pleafure after pleafure tailing, 
Till pleafure ended, as it mull, 
In difappointment and difguft. 

There cleaves to this world's fleeting pleafures 

The curfe of infufhciency, 
She fpends, but doth not gather treafures 

To laft throughout eternity ; 
Her glittering hoards of boafled treafure 
Cannot repair, in fmalleft meafure, 
Sin's deadly mifchief, or contrive 
To fave one human foul alive. 

How different are the joys which greet us, 
When Jefus hath new life bellowed, 

When Peace and Comfort come to meet us 
And fcatter flowers upon our road ; 

When at each hour we find sweet healing 

For every wound that we are feeling, 

A balfam for our keener! fmart, 

A welcome to a Father's heart ! 

Our wants and wifhes now are fewer, 
The world around us feems more fmall, 

Our joys are Ampler far and truer, 
Unmixed with bitternefs and gall. 

Modeft and humble in fuccefles, 

Patient in troubles and diftreffes, 

We are, and 'tis our pride to be, 

Our Saviour's rightful property. 



Ugra Bomesttca. 63 



Above us lies an open heaven, 
Beneath us clofed a dread abyfs ; 

We love, becaufe we are forgiven, 

We have true joy, true reft and peace ; 

Anfwer to prayer, fupport in trial, 

Some better thing for each denial ; 

The good thing we have chofen is 

Our foul's eternal happinefs. 

Thus ever happy in porTefting 

The love and favour of our God, 
And trufting Him for every blefhng 

Both for our foul's and body's good, 
We live prepared always for dying, 
Ready to quit this world of iighing, 
To reap an undeferved reward, 
And be for ever with the Lord. 



64 



ILgra Bomcsttca. 



HEAVENLY GUIDANCE. 




RAISE, all praife, to Thee be given, 

God the Father and the Son ! 
On the earth and in the heaven 

All has profpered Thou haft done. 
I confefs with grateful feelings, 
Wife and good have been Thy dealings ; 
They proclaim aloud, that he 
Is moft bleft who trufts in Thee. 



BlelTed Lord, if Thou hadft led me 

As I foolifhly defired, 
All the good I fhunned forbid me, 

Given all that I required ; 
Hadft thou punifhed me by granting 
All that I believed was wanting, 
Words would not, O God, exprefs 
What had been my w retch ednefs. 

How can they, whofe eyes are blinded 

'Mid the din and duft of earth, 
Find the pearl the heavenly-minded 

Deem of fuch tranfcendent worth r 
Evil ways perverfely choofmg, 
And the right and true refuting, 
Farther every day they ftray 
From the true and living way. 



Hgra Domesttca. 65 



He who wifties no conductor 

But the hand of his dear Lord, 
He who wilh.es no inftructor 

But His Spirit and His word, 
He mall walk fecure from dangers 
In a land of foes and Grangers, 
Till at laft the fame wife hand 
Brings him to his Fatherland. 

Therefore with my God hereafter 

I will patiently abide, 
And in fpite of fneers and laughter 

Make Him my fupport and guide. 
Since in God I have confided, 
I have been fecurely guided ; 
What I have experienced, is 
My bleft pledge for future blifs. 

God hath faid it, God hath faid it, 

God hath faid, and I obey ; 
God hath faid it, God hath faid it, 

And with joy I go my way ; 
God fo willeth, God fo willeth, 
Every murmur fweetly ftilleth, 
God fo wills it, e'en hath power 
To make fweet the laft dread hour. 




66 Hgra Bomssttca. 



LIFE AND CONTENTMENT IN JESUS. 

BLESSED Sun, whofe fplendour 

Difpels the fhades of night, 
O Jefus, my Defender, 

My foul's fupreme delight, 
All day I hear refounding 
A voice with filver tone, 
Which fpeaks of grace abounding 
Through God's eternal Son. 

A deep and heavenly feeling 

Oft feizes on my breaft, 
Ah ! here is balm for healing, 

Here only is true reft. 
Though fortune mould bereave me 

Of all I love the beft, 
If Chrift His love ftill leave me, 
I freely give the reft. 

To win this precious treafure 

And matchlefs pearl, I would 
Give honour, wealth, and pleafure, 

And every earthly good ; 
I gladly would furrender 

The deareft thing which might 
Obfcure my Sun's bright fplendour, 
And rob me of His light. 




Hgra .Itomisttca. 



6 7 



I know no life divided, 

O Lord of life, from Thee, 
In Thee is life provided 

For all mankind and me ; 
I know no death, O Jefus, 

Becaufe I live in Thee, 
Thy death it is which frees us 

From death eternally. 

I fear no tribulation, 

Since, whatfoe'er it be, 
It makes no feparation 

Between my Lord and me. 
If Thou, my God and Teacher, 

Vouchfafe to be my own, 
Though poor, I mail be richer 

Than monarch on his throne. 

If, while on earth I wander, 

My heart is light and bleft, 
Ah ! what mall I be yonder 

In perfect peace and reft ? 
O blefTed thought in dying ! 

We go to meet the Lord, 
Where there mail be no fighing, 

A kingdom our reward. 

Lord, with this truth imprefs me, 
And write it on my heart, 

To comfort, cheer, and blefs me, 
That Thou my Saviour art ; 



68 



Without Thy love to guide me, 

I mould be wholly loft, 
The floods would quickly hide me 

On life's wide ocean toft. 

Thy love it was which fought me, 
Thyfelf unfought by me, 

And to the haven brought me 
Where I would gladly be ; 

The things, which once diftreft me, 
My heart no longer move, 

Since this fweet truth impreft me, 



That I poifefs Thy love. 




Itgra 33omesttca. 69 



TURN AGAIN. 

URN, poor wanderer, ere the fen- 
tence 

Falls on thee which none can ftay ; 
Flee to Chrift with deep repentance, 
Seek the Lord without delay. 
As thou art, with all Thy burden, 
Come, and He will grant thee pardon. 
See, He comes to meet thee, fealing 

With His own moil holy word 
Pardon, blefTmg, ftrength, and healing ; 
Turn, O turn thee to the Lord. 

Flee from worldly dimpation, 

Commune with thy heart, be ftill ; 
God mail by thy renovation 

All thy beft defires fulfil. 
There a peaceful calm awaits thee 
From the ftorm which agitates thee, 
There malt thou difcern the warning 

Of the Spirit in thy breaft, 
Pleading with thee, night and morning, 

Till He brings thee to thy reft 

Lay alide all needlefs terrors, 
For thy Father's loving heart 
f 3 




70 



Offers pardon for thy errors, 

Balfam for thy keeneft fmart. 
Look on Him, whom thou haft wounded, 
Yet whofe love hath fo abounded, 
That He fufFered to redeem thee ; 

Turn, O turn again, nor fear, 
That thy Lord will yet condemn thee, 
Who efteemed thy foul fo dear, 

Drink in life with deep thankfgiving, 

Dwelling on this gracious theme : 
God is patient and forgiving 

And almighty to redeem ; 
Not a grief, but He can feel it, 
Not a wound, but He can heal it ; 
He hath balm for every forrow, 

Cleanfing for the vileft fin ; 
O delay not till to-morrow 

What thou canft this day begin. 

Shake off all thy floth and dulnefs, 

Linger not, nor take thine eafe ; 
Come from emptinefs to fulnefs, 

Shadows to realities, 
Out of dimnefs into clearnefs, 
Out of diftance into nearnefs ! 
Come away from fin and forrow, 

Come to Chrift without delay ! 
Put not off until to-morrow 

What thy God will give to-day. 



7 1 



THE VANITY OF THE WORLD 

AN then the world make no provifion 

For human happinefs below ? 
Is all flie gives us but a virion, 

A fleeting dream, an empty mow ? 
Her burthens are fo hard to bear, 
Her pleafures lighter than the air ! 

Her life is but an endlefs ftriving, 

A never fought-out battle-field, 
A fruitlefs toil, a vain contriving, 

A forrow which remains unhealed, 
A fleep which gives no reft, a breath, 
An every day repeated death. 

Sometimes we fpend the hours in trying 

Their weary dulnefs to beguile, 
Now we complain that they are flying, 

And cry, " Sweet hours, O ftay awhile ; " 
Sometimes we wilh to flee away, 
Sometimes on earth would ever ftay. 

Now draughts of flattery we are drinking 
From poifoned cups, and now we try 

To drown remorfe, and filence thinking 
By noify mirth and revelry ; 

F 4. 




72 



Hwa Bomtsttca. 



Now feoff at God, and now give vent 
To murmuring and difcontent. 

Meantime both head and heart are hollow 

In midft of riot and excefs, 
And on enjoyment quickly follow 

Satiety and wearinefs ; 
We feaft, and yet have not our fill, 
We fleep, and yet are weary ft.il] . 

We make provifion every minute 
For the poor tenement of clay, 

And leave the foul who dwells within it 
To pine and languifh day by day ; 

The pampered body takes its eafe, 

She fits at home and languifhes. 

While thus, uncared for and neglected, 
Averfe from God me pines away, 

Death comes upon us unexpected, 
And pulling down our houfe of clay, 

Turns out the foul from time, to be 

A tenant of eternity. 

Make me, O God, not earthly-minded, 
But Thine in Jefus Chrift to be, 

That by the world no longer blinded, 
I may devote my heart to Thee, 

And in not of the world be found, 

A mining light to all around. 

0^3 



Hgra Domtsti'ca. 73 



OUR CONVERSATION IS IN HEAVEN. 



S a traveller, returning 

To his home from fome far land, 
Thinks of it with bofom yearning, 
Ere his foot hath touched the 
ftrand ; 
So amid the noify pleafures 

Of the world, the heart oft fighs 
For the nobler higher treafures 
Laid up for us in the fkies. 

All our wifh and our endeavour 

Is to love and pleafe and choofe 
Him, who loves us, nor will ever 

What is for our good refufe. 
When the foul without diftraclion 

Sits and liftens at His feet, 
Then me finds true fatisfaction 

And a happinefs complete. 

Jesus, like the magnet, raifes 

Our dull fpirits to the fkies, 
And we feem, in prayer and praifes, 

As on eagles' wings to rife ; 
Why we feel this ftrong attraction, 

Why we wait for His command 
In each thought, and word, and action, 

Can the world not underftand. 




74 



Hgra 33omcsttca. 



Should our enemies afperfe us, 

Our dear Lord, who loves us fo, 
Bids us blefs e'en them who curfe us, 

And to love our greater! foe. 
He, who died for our falvation, 

And on us hath heaven bellowed, 
Wills that by our converfation 

We mould glorify our God. 

Can we have our hearts in heaven, 

And yet earthly-minded live ? 
Can we, who have been forgiven, 

Not forget and not forgive ? 
Can we hate an erring brother, 

Only love when we are loved, 
And not bear with one another, 

By Chriit's Holy Spirit moved ? 

Ah ! no hater, or blafphemer, 

None who llander and defame, 
Can be one with the Redeemer, 

Who was gentle as a lamb ; 
Love will caufe affimilation 

With the objecl of our love, 
Love will work a transformation, 

And renewal from above. 

None, O Lord, who are unholy, 
Shall Thy perfect beauty fee ; 

Teach me to be meek and lowly, 
Teach me to refemble Thee. 



Upra Bomesttca. 



75 



Keep me from the world unfpotted, 

That I may not only be 
To Thy fervice here devoted, 

But abide in heaven with Thee. 



76 



Ugra Bomtsttca. 



THE SERVANT OF THE LORD. 

r p^. -^ -ijHE man is highly blefTed, 

Who makes it his delight 
To do his Mailer's bidding, 
iiSy I ^g) And ferve Him day and night ; 

Who alks Him for His bleffing, 
When he begins the day, 
His fins with grief confeffing, 
When he has gone aftray. 

His loving heart conftrains him 

To watch the beckoning hand 
Of Him, whofe abfence pains him, 

Whofe wim is a command ; 
He needs no admonition, 

But follows glad and ftill, 
For love by intuition 

Prevents the loved one's will. 

God fane rifles and blefles 

The trials which He fends ; 
The burthen lightly prefTes, 

It breaks not, though it bends ; 
And though our tears flow fafter 

At each succeeding ftroke, 
We lean upon our Matter, 

And meekly bear His yoke. 



HLgra Bomcsttca. 77 



We know He fympathifes 

In all that grieves us fo, 
And no diftrefs defpifes 

Which we can undergo ; 
To Him we may each weaknefs, 

Each trouble boldly mow, 
Who hath for us with meeknefs 

Endured fuch bitter woe. 

And when our prolpeft brightens, 

And we are light and gay, 
He is the Sun which lightens, 

And turns our night to day. 
From Him comes every bleffing, 

To Him they lead us back ; 
In Him all things pofTeffing, 

No real good we lack. 

How fweet a lot befalls us, 

How greatly are we bleft ! 
For that whereto He calls us, 

We know is always bell. 
In good and adverfe feafons, 

In pleafure and in pain, 
We alk Him for no reafons, 

Nor ever once complain. 

Brief as a night of {lumber 
Our days glide fwiftly on, 

Ere we can tell their number, 
Death comes, and we are gone ! 



78 



O happy day which fees us 
To our Beloved reftored ! 

When we fhall be with Jefus, 
The fervant with his Lord. 



79 



STRONG IN FAITH, RICH IN LOVE. 

ET me build on this fecure foundation, 
Lord, my rock, my fafety, and my 
fhield, 

Which Thy holy word for my falva- 
tion 

Hath in this accepted time revealed : 
Jefus Chrift His glory hath forfaken, 
And our flefh and human nature taken, 

To redeem us by His death from death ; 
He hath died, that we might be forgiven, 
He hath died, that we may live in heaven, 

There by fight, and here meantime by faith. 

Plant in me a faith fecure and liable 

In the work which Thou, O God, haft planned, 
That no fneers nor my own doubts be able 

■ To deftroy the faith wherein I ftand. 
Give me Peter's forrow and contrition, 
Let me witnefs alfo his confeifion, 

" Thou art Chrift, to whom then mail I go ? " 
Like St. Paul's, let this be my endeavour, 
That the life I live I may live ever 

Through the faith of Him who loved me fo. 

Kindle by the Spirit's infpiration 
That undying love within my heart, 




8o 



Hgra Itomegttca. 



Which, though crowned herfelf with Thy falvation, 

Yet prefers a fervant's humble part, 
Lowly, meek, and gentle in behaviour, 
Rich in faith, rejoicing in her Saviour, 

Calm and patient under every ill ; 
Suffers, hopes, believes all things, and bletfes 
God alike in joy and in diftrelfes, 

Ready both to bear and do His will. 

And fo let me, loving and confiding, 

Walk conducted by Thy faithful hand, 
Or beneath Thy fheltering wings abiding 

Shun the foes which I can not withftand ; 
Nor, when conquering, let me boaft, but rather, 
Clinging like a child unto its father, 

Smile fecurely in Thy firm embrace ; 
Let me on Thy faithful word relying 
Clafp Thee with the arms of faith, till dying 

I at length behold Thee face to face. 



Upra Bomesttca- 



81 



SALVATION IS COME TO THIS HOUSE. 



HAPPY houfe, O home fupremely 
bleft. 

Where Thou, Lord Jefus Chrift, art 
entertained 
As the moll welcome and beloved 
gueft, 

With true devotion and with love unfeigned ; 
Where all hearts beat in unifon with Thine, 

Where eyes grow brighter as they look on Thee, 
Where all are ready, at the Highteft fign, 

To do Thy will and do it heartily. 




O happy houfe, where man and wife are one, 

Through love of Thee, in fpirit, heart, and mind, 
Together joined by holy bands, which none, 

Not death itfelf, can fever or unbind ; 
Where both on Thee unfailingly depend, 

In weal and woe, in good and evil days, 
And hope with Thee eternity to fpend 

In fweet communion and eternal praife. 



O happy houfe, where with the hands of prayer 
Parents commit their children to the Friend, 

Who, with a more than mother's tender care, 
Will watch and keep them fafely to the end ; 

G 



82 



Hgra Domesttta, 



Where they are taught to lit at Jems' feet, 
And liften to the words of life and truth, 

And learn to lHp His praife in accents fweet 
From early childhood to advancing youth. 

O happy houfe, where man and maid purfue 

Their daily labours as unto the Lord, 
Deflring only that whate'er they do 

May be according to His will and word ; 
As fervants, yet as friends and brethren too, 

Their love with deep humility combined, 
No lefs in little than in great things true, 

They ferve Him gladly with a willing mind. 

O happy houfe, where Thou dolt mare the weal, 

Where none forget Thee, whatfoe'er befall ; 
O happy houfe, where Thou the wounds doft heal, 

The Healer and the Comforter of all ; 
Till every one his ftated tafk hath done, 

And all at length mall peacefully depart 
To the bright realms where Thou Thyfelf art gone, 

The Father's houfe where Thou already art. 



Hlgra Bomcsttca* 83 



THE WORD OF LIFE. 

ORD of Life, eternal Fountain, 

Thou doft living ftrength impart 
To the foul that truly feeks Thee, 
To the faint and longing heart : 
So fome tender flower of fummer, 
Drooping in the noonday fun, 
Bends its head, to drink the waters 
Which belide it foftly run. 

What were earth, if Thou wert abfent, 

But a vale by fireams unfed ? 
What were heaven without Thy prefence, 

But a hall untenanted ? 
What were life, by Thee ungladdened, 

But a long protracted death ? 
What, without Thee, would be dying r 

Night without the morning's breath. 

Word of Life, 'tis Thine to light us, 

But 'tis Thine to warn us too ; 
Thou a glorious heaven revealeft, 

But bring'ft alfo hell to view : 
Terribly Thou wakeffc finners 

From their dull lethargic reft, 
Yet Thy mercy fweetly covers 

Sins repented and confeft. 




8 4 



Taught by Thee, we learn to tremble 

At a Judge who all things weighs, 
But no lefs to love a Father, 

Who bears with the child that ftrays ; 
One who gave His own beloved 

For the fin that He reproves, 
Who in Him the fin condemneth, 

Yet in Him the finner loves. 

Word of Life, to him that hears Thee 

Thou doft promife heavenly reft ; 
Yet by him alone who keeps Thee 

Shall the jewel be pofieft. 
Ah, then ! I will ever keep Thee, 

Word of God, the Spirit's fword ; 
Help me here to fight and conquer, 

There to reap a bright reward. 



Hgra 33om«tfca. 



85 



THE LIFE OF FAITH. 



HAT greater bleffednefs can be, 

What more exalted ftate, 
Than when, O Lord, our lives to 
Thee 

By faith we confecrate ? 

The thought that Thou art ever nigh 

Infpires us with delight ; 
We feem to fee Thee with the eye, 

And live as in Thy fight. 

What though our lips oft filent be, 

The heart doth always pray, 
And gratefal thoughts rife up to Thee, 

O Lord, both night and day. 

We may with Thee hold converfe fweet, 

When all around is ftill, 
And come before Thy mercy-feat, 

As often as we will. 

Like children at Thy feet we play, 

And fhould we come to grief, 
We fly to Thee to wipe away 

Our tears, and grant relief. 

c 3 




86 



Hgra Bomesttca. 



When we are weary, our kind God 

Prepares for us a bed, 
And covers with a cool green fod 

His fleeping children's head. 

There in the deep ftill night we lie, 

Until the morning break, 
And we fhall hear the Saviour's cry : 

" Awake from fleep, awake." 

What then mall be, to our dim ken 

A myftery doth feem ; 
We know that we fhall be like men 

Awakened from a dream. 



Hgra Itomtsttca. 



87 



UNITY IN THE SPIRIT. 

RETHREN, called by one vocation, 

Members of one family, 
Heirs through Chrift of one falvation, 

Let us live in harmony ; 
Nor by ftrife 
Embitter life, 
Journeying to eternity. 

In a land where all are ftrangers, 

And our fojourning fo fhort, 
In the midft of common dangers, 

Concord is our belt fupport; 
Heart with heart, 
Divides the fmart, 

Lightens grief of every fort. 

Let us fhun all vain contention 

Touching words and outward things, 

Whence, alas ! fo much dhTenfion, 
And fuch bitter rancour fprings ; 

Troubles ceafe, 

Where Chrift brings peace 

And fweet healing on His wings. 

Judge not haftily of others, 

But thine own falvation mind ; 
H 




88 



ILgra iJBomtsttca. 



Nor be lynx-eyed to thy brother's, 
To thine own offences blind ; 

God alone 

Difcerns thine own, 

And the hearts of all mankind. 

Let it be our chief endeavour, 
That we may the Lord obey, 

Then ihall envy ceafe for ever, 
And all hate be done away ; 

Free from ftrife 

Shall be his life 

Who ferves God both night and day. 



Hgra Bomesttca, 



8 9 



THE BLESSING OF CHRISTIAN 
FELLOWSHIP. 

T is a pra&ice greatly bleft, 

To fpeak, Lord Jefu Chrift, of Thee ; 
Thou art amongft us as a gueft, 

We feel it, though we cannot fee ; 
We feem to breathe, in glad furprife, 
An atmosphere of love and blifs, 
And read within each other's eyes, 
To whom it is we owe all this. 




How quickly ftrife and envy end, 

How foon all idle griefs depart, 
When friend takes counfel thus with friend, 

When foul meets foul, and heart meets heart 
We have fo many things to fay, 

So many failings to confefs, 
Time flies, alas ! fo foon away, 

We cannot half we would exprefs. 

How fain would we repeat again 

The touching tale of God's dear Son, 
His faithfulnefs and love to men, 

And the great things which He hath done ; 
How He firft touched our heart and feelings 

By joy and grief's alternate fway, 
And led us by His gracious dealings 

In fafety to this very day. 



go 



Hgra Bomtsttca. 



We hear a ftill fmall voice within, 

When fir ft He makes His prefence known ; 
Bleft hour ! when we confefs our fin 

With many a felf-accufmg groan ; 
When we bow down and humbly call 

On God to heal our bitter (mart* 
We feel His fpirit gently fall 

Like dew upon our weary heart. 

We feel relieved from all diftrefs, 

From anxious doubt and boding fear ; 
We have a foretafte of our blifs, 

And breathe a purer atmofphere ; 
We feem new creatures to become, 

New thoughts and hopes pofiefs our mind ; 
Like wanderers returning home, 

We leave all former things behind. 

O let us then, dear Lord, be bleft 

With Thy fweet prefence every day, 
Be with us as our daily gueft 

And our companion on the way ; 
Fan our devotion's feeble flame, 

Let us prefs on to things before, 
Bring us together in Thy name, 

Until we meet to part no more. 



ilgra Bomtsttca. 



9 1 



COMFORT IN THE NIGHT. 



EEP no more, poor child of forrow, 
O'er thy youth's untimely blight ; 

Joy will come again to-morrow, 
Grief endureth but a night. 



Seems it long till purple morning 
Streaks the eaftern fky with light l 

Stars with beauty are adorning 
E'en the fable brow of night. 




9 2 



DEVOTION. 



OW good it is, Lord, to be here 
Amid the congregation ! 

The beating heart and guming tear 
Befpeak our adoration. 



Wherefore, ye tear drops, do ye flow ? 

O heart, what means this beating ? 
The body refts from toil below, 

The foul her God is meeting. 




Urna Bomcsttta. 93 



WORK IN THE LORD. - 




HAT in the Lord thou doeft mini 
fucceed, 

The glory His, the bleffing mail be 
thine ; 

From Him alike both will and act 
proceed, 

He lows and gives the increafe to the feed, 

He prompts and perfects every good defign : 
Hands on thy work, thy heart on God alone, 
Thus and thus only is a good work done. 



Think not that ought is in God's eyes fo fmall, 
That He will not the needful fuccour lend ; 

His ear is ever open to thy call, 

To give thee ftrength, to bless and profper all, 
And bring thy labours to a happy end ; 

Call on the Lord whate'er thou doll to blefs, 

And He will crown thy efforts with fuccefs. 



He makes thy heart courageous, firm, and bold, 
And mould thy labours feem to prefs too fore, 
He fuffers not thy courage to grow cold, 
Smooths on thy care-worn brow the gathering fold, 

Arms thee with patient induftry, nay more, 
Regards the fmalleft kindnefs mown to one 
Of His difciples, as to Him t'were done. 



94 



Hgra Bomcstfca. 



His prefence doth not weaken and deftroy, 

But rather ftrengthens and collects thy powers, 
Sheds a bright luftre e'er the day's employ, 
Turns toil to pleafure, trouble into joy, 

And gilds with funfhine e'en thy darkeft hours : 
For what thy hand hath done with all its might, 
The Lord will richly to thy heart requite. 

How bleft to have the Lord before our eyes, 
To fpeak with Him, and liften to His voice, 

With Him in ail our troubles to advife, 

To feed upon His holy myfteries, 

And in each a 61 of goodnefs to rejoice ! 

The world aftonifhed cannot underftand 

The cheerful promptnefs of thy heart and hand. 



Um*a Bonusttca. 95 



THE MISSIONARIES. 



LEST are ye, ye chofen bearers 
Of God's word to lands afar, 
Bidding all men to be fharers 
Of the joyful news ye bear. 
Onward, onward, boldly preiTmg 
Through the howling defert fpeed, 
God will crown your work with bleffing, 
And give increafe to the feed. 




High your Saviour's banner waving, 

Tell it forth, intrepid band, 
That His Name alone is faving, 

That ail power is in His hand. 
Be to all the world a witnefs 

Of the everlafting word. 
Teaching ail to tafte its fweetnefs, 

And confefs that He is Lord. 



Arm, ye foldiers, though your weapons 

Be not fpears or glittering fwords, 
Prefs on ftill, though danger threatens, 

For the whole earth is the Lord's. 
He who lent you will defend you, 

And your King and Shepherd be, 
Though like fheep 'mid wolves He fend you, 

Ye mail wander glad and free. 



9 6 



Hgra Bcmtsttca. 



Love it was for one another 

Which fir ft moved and urged you on. 
That to do for your poor brother. 

Which the Lord for you hath done. 
Therefore feek ye neither pleafure, 

Honour, wealth, nor earthly good, 
No ! ye bear a nobler treafure, 

Peace through Jefus' precious blood. 

Bear all hardships unrepining, 

Scoffed at, anfwer not a word ; 
For all lands fhall foon be mining 

With the glory of the Lord. 
Bleft are ye, brave ftandard- bearers, 

Witnefles for Chrift to men, 
Ye mail in His joy be fharers, 

When your Lord mail come again. 

After all their tribulations, 

Thoufands fhall Hoianna fmg, 
And the heavens with acclamations 

To their God and Saviour ring. 
Thoufands then mail hail the teachers, 

Who firft brought them to the Lord ; 
Then fhall be, ye faithful preachers, 

Your bright crown and fweet reward. 



Hgra Bomcsttta. 97 



THE FATHER LOVETH YOU. 

OW bleft are we, that God of us 

Vouchfafes to be fo heedful, 
Providing for our daily ufe 

Whatever things are needful ! 
All things are his, 
Whofe Father is 
The God who ever liveth, 
And every good gift giveth. 

What though we roam the wide world o'er, 

And have no earthly treafire, 
Our Father's love can give us more 

Than worlds of wealth can meafure. 
We need not fear, 
Though we have here 
But little food and raiment, 
Nor aught to give in payment. 

He who for us fo much hath done 

To purchafe our falvation, 
Who gave His own beloved Son 

For our propitiation ; 
He who bellows 
Such love on foes, 
Will He, our God and Father, 
Not care for us much rather ? 

H 




Before a throne of grace we may 
Prefent ourfelves with boidnefs, 

Nor fear that He will turn away 
His face from us with coldnefs. 

He will and can 

Hear every man, 

Who offers his petition 

With faith and true contrition. 

In Jefus Chrift the Father's heart 

Is open to receive us ; 
We fly to it, when inward fmart 

And outward troubles grieve us ; 
There we may reft 
Secure and bleft, 
Expofed no more to dangers, 
To care and forrow ftrangers. 

Think ye the near approach of death 
Can make our hearts feel fadly ? 

Ah no ! when " Come " the Father faith, 
We will go home right gladly ; 

Far better 'twere 

That we were there ! 

" O would that He would call us ! " 

We figh, when griefs befall us. 

He loveth us, that is enough 
To fill our hearts with gladnefs, 

He loveth us, that is enough 
To chafe away ah fadnefs. 



Hgra Bomcsttca. 



Lord, grant that we 
May alfo Thee 
Love with a love unceafing, 
Yea, every day increafing ! 



ioo Hgra SBomesttca. 



FAITHFULNESS IN LITTLE THINGS. 



HAT love is pureft and moft true, 
Which leans upon its Saviour's 
breaft, 

And thinks with pleafure ever new 
How in all things to pleafe Him belt; 
Which in all things, not great alone, 

On ferving Him is fully bent, 
And knowingly will not to one, 
No, not the finalleft fin confent. 




For know, my foul, the Lord will not 

Hold thy leaft fervice in contempt, 
For little a6ls are moil from fpot 

Of vanity and pride exempt. 
Begin then nrft with little things, 

The fmalleft lin avoid and hate ; 
Obedience to love adds wings, 

And little faith will grow to great. 

If thou avoideft but the great 

And grolfer fins, from fear of lhame, 
And doft the fmall ones tolerate, 

Thy love is but an empty name ; 



Hgra 3Bomesttca. 101 



That is not loving Chrift alone, 
That is but loving Him in part, 

Not doing His will, but thine own, 
Not ferving Him with all thy heart. 

For he who is indeed the Lord's, 

Follows Him always, and will fhun 
In all his actions, thoughts, and words, 

All fin, or an approach to one ; 
Seeks to promote his Saviour's praife 

In everything he doth and faith, 
And walks in His moll holy ways, 

Partaker of His life and death. 

In every work, and at all hours, 

His chief aim is to ferve his Lord 
With all his heart, and mind, and powers, 

In ftridt obedience to His word ; 
For Him he ftirinks not night and day 

From hardfliip, trouble, lofs, and woe ; 
It is enough for him to fay : 

" My Lord commands and wills it fo." 

Wreftle, my foul, and ftrive, and pray, 

Thyfelf to this true love to raife, 
That thus thou mayft from day to day 

Bring forth new fruit to His great praife. 
Study to pleafe Him, and be true, 

My foul, in great and fmall things both, 
For earneft diligence may do 

What is impoffible to floth. 
h 3 



io2 Ugra Bomesttca* 



Say not, I will in fome great trial 

My conftancy and truth maintain ; 
O think of Peter's fad denial, 

And confidence, which proved fo vain. 
Then learn to praclife truth in fmall 

As well as in great things ; left thou. 
Like Peter, mould bewail thy fall, 

Thy faithleflhefs and broken vow. 



Hgra 33omesttca. 103 



I AND MY HOUSE WILL SERVE THE 
LORD. 

AND my houfe are ready, Lord, 
With hearts that beat in fweet accord, 

To ferve Thee and obey Thee ; 
Be in the midft of us, we pray, 
To guide and blefs us, that we may 
A willing fervice pay Thee. 
Of us all, 
Great and fmall, 
Make a pious congregation, 
Pure in life and converfation. 

Let Thy good Spirit by the word 
Work mightily in us, O Lord, 
Our fouls and bodies filling ; 
O let the Sun of grace fhine bright, 
That there may be abundant light 

In us and in our dwelling. 
On our way, 
Night and day, 

With the heavenly manna feed us, 
To the heavenly Canaan lead us. 

Send peace and blefTing from above, 
Unite us all in faith and love 
Who in this houfe are living ; 

H 4 




io4 Hgra Itomtsttca. 



Let charity our hearts prepare 
To fufFer long, and all things bear, 

Meek, gentle, and forgiving ; 
Nor in aught 
Chrift hath taught 
Let us fail to one another, 
But each love and help his brother. 

Lord, let our houfe be built upon 
Thy faithfulnefs and grace alone ; 

And, when the day is doling 
And night her gloomy fhadow flings, 
Let us lie down beneath Thy wings 

With childlike truft repoling ; 
E'en with fmart 
In the heart, 

Cheerful, happy, and confiding, 
Patiently in Thee abiding. 

If Thou fhouldft blefs our home with wealth, 
Let not the world creep in by flealth, 

And take away the bleffing ; 
For if our hearts fhould empty be 
Of meeknefs and humility, 

Although all elfe poffefling,- 
We mould mifs 
That true blifs, 

Which not all the world's vaft treafure 
Can fupply in fmalleft meafure. 

But this, O Lord, we pray for moll, 
That in our houfe the Holy Ghoft 



Hgra Bomesttca. 105 



May ever be prefiding ; 
He can preferve our fouls from iin, 
Keep order and found difcipline, 

His Spirit all things guiding. 
O may we 
Ever be 

By the Spirit thus attended, 
Till our pilgrimage is ended ! 



io6 Hgra Bomcsttca. 



THE HAPPY LOT. 

UR lot is fall'n in pleafant places, 

A goodly heritage is ours ; 
To Him, whence come all gifts and 
graces, 

Let us give praife with all our 
powers ; 
He choofes us of His free grace, 
And makes us His peculiar race. 

He undertook our fouls' falvation, 
Our fad condition moved Him fo ! 

And came to us, from pure companion. 
To raife us from our depths of woe ; 

O wonderful furp ailing love, 

Which brought Him to us from above ! 

He fawnn us no real beauty, 

No virtue, nor intrinfic worth ; 
Not one there was that did his duty, 

For all were linners from their birth ; 
Nor was there one, in fuch diftrefs, 
Who could our mifery redrefs. 




Then, moved at heart with deep compamon, 
The Lord ftretched out His arm to fave, 



Hsra Bomtsttca. 



107 



And His own life for our falvation, 

And therewith all things, freely gave, 
Adoption, fonfhip, and with this 
A whole eternity of blifs. 

O Lord, of goodnefs fo amazing 
Not one is worthy, no, not one ; 

We ftand in fhame and wonder gazing 

At the great things which Thou haft done ; 

Thy crowning grace and precious blood 

Have reconciled us with our God. 

We feel quite certain of obtaining 

Nothing but goodnefs from Thy hand, 

And wend our way without complaining 
Through dreary mift and barren land, 

With heaven in view, where we ihall be 

Joined thro' eternity to Thee. 

The lines are fall'n in pleafant places, 

A goodly heritage is ours, 
And gladly would we fhare the graces, 

Which God's great goodnefs richly mowers ; 
We offer them alike to all 
Who will obey the gracious call. 

It grieves us fore when men refufe them, 
And treat our offers with difdain, 

Or by neglect for ever lofe them, 
And make the grace of God in vain. 

All ye who thirft, come here and buy, 

And Chrift will all your wants fupply. 



io8 Hgra Bomesttca. 



ABIDE IN JESUS. 

ABIDE, abide in Jefus, 

Who for us bare griefs untold, 
And Himfelf, from pain to eafe us, 

Suffered pangs a thoufandfold ; 
Bide with Him, who ftill abideth 
When all elfe mail pafs away, 
And as Judge fupreme prefideth 
In that dread and awful day. 

All is dying : hearts are breaking, 

Which to ours were once faft bound, 
And the lips have ceafed from fpeaking, 

Which once uttered fuch fweet found, 
And the arms are powerlefs lying, 

Which were our fupport and ftay, 
And the eyes are dim and dying, 

Which once watched us night and day. 

Everything we love and cherifh 

H aliens onward to the grave, 
Earthly joys and pleafures perifh, 

And whate'er the world e'er gave ; 
All is fading, all is fleeing, 

Earthly flames mull ceafe to glow, 
Earthly beings ceafe from being, 

Earthly bloffoms ceafe to blow. 




Hgra Bomesttca. 109 



Yet unchanged, while all decayeth, 

Jefus {lands upon the duft ; 
" Lean on Me alone," He fayeth, 

" Hope and love and firmly trufl ! " 
O abide, abide with Jefus, 

Who Himfelf for ever lives, 
Who from death eternal frees us, 

Yea, who life eternal gives. 



no Hgra Bomesttca. 



THE CHRISTIAN'S CROSS, 

HE badge the Chriftian wears on earth, 

Is his dear Saviour's crofs, 
And he who underftands its worth, 
Regards all elfe as drofs. 



He wears it humbly, not for mow, 

But as a cure for fin ; 
Not mining on his breaft, ah no ! 

He wears his crofs within. 

And tho' it tries and grieves him too, 

He is no lefs content, 
He knows both what 'tis meant to do, 

And by whom it is fent. 

He wears it for a brief fpace here, 

But as a pledge in hand 
Of the bright crown, which he mall wear 

In his dear Fatherland. 




Hgra Bomesttca. 



in 



BE READY, FOR THE DAYS ARE EVIL. 

""'ET me fuffer wrong without com- 
plaining, 

While myfelf from doing wrong 
abftaining, 
Through Thy grace and ftrength, 
O Lord, I pray ; 
Let me never fmite the hand that fmites me, 
But do good to him who ill requites me : 
Thus prepare me for the evil day. 

Into Thine own image, Lord, transform me, 
To Thy gentle Spirit fo conform me, 

That this lefTon never may be loft : 
Not the poor oppreffed, but the oppreftbr, 
Not the injured, but the proud tranfgrefTor, 

Is the man who needs our pity moft 

Though by cruel treatment oft incited, 
Thou haft never ill with ill requited, 

Nor reviled haft Thou reviled again ; 
Yet it muft have grieved Thy holy nature, 
More, far more, than me a ftnful creature, 

To behold the wickednefs of men. 




ii2 llpra Itomesttca. 



Thou hadft power not only to create us, 
But to punifli and annihilate us ; 

Yet fo great, fo wonderful Thy love, 
That to fave us from the doom impending, 
Thou didft give Thyfelf to death, defcending 

To our depth from Thy great height above. 

My true Peace and Saviour, be Thou near me, 
That in fufFering I may not grow weary, 

Be Thou near me to direct my way ; 
Strengthen Thou my foul when foes aflail her, 
That Thy patient Spirit may not fail her : 

Thus prepare me for the evil day ; 

That herfelf in patience ftill poffeffing 
She may find e'en woes to be a blelTmg, 

Nor account them ftrange when they arife. 
Point her to the happy realms above her, 
Where departed faints, who dearly love her, 

Wait to greet her in the opening Ikies. 



Hgra Somtsttca. 113 



LONGING. 

THAT my soul might never lack 

The guidance of Thy gentle hand, 
But follow in the eafy track 

Of Thy fweet will and wife com- 
mand ! 

That I might find the Lord's employ, 
Not a hard fervice but a joy ! 

O that each word of Thine I thought 

Deferving of my high efteem, 
And all oppofed to it as naught 

But falfehood and an idle dream ! 
That my fole aim in all might be, 
To do, dear Lord, what pleafes Thee ! 

O that I made Thy word a light, 

My ftandard and my laft appeal, 
To mew me what is wrong or right, 

What hurtful, what for my true weal, 
Not ever doubtful what I would, 
When I know plainly what I mould ! 

O that to every word I paid 

A due obfervance and regard, 
Nor fought Thy precepts to evade 

When clear, becaufe they feem too hard, 




ii4 Hgra Bomesttca. 



And that, albeit weak and faint, 
I followed them without complaint ! 

Then life were one confident whole, 
Not a mixed web of ill and good, 

The full furrender of the foul, 
A victory over flefh and blood ; 

Then mould I find, made glad and free, 

Thy fervice perfect liberty. 

O make Thy precepts fweet to me 
By Thy good Spirit's gentle fway, 

And let my feet be led by Thee 

In Thine own true and perfect way ; 

Thy precepts are my life's true blifs, 

At once its rule and happinefs. 

With all Thy law's exact demands 
O make me by Thy grace content, 

That I may do what it commands, 
Not from the fear of punifhment, 

No, but becaufe my heart relies 

Upon Thy grace and facrifice, 



Hgra Somtsttca. 115 



MY SOUL THIRSTETH AFTER THE 
LIVING GOD. 

SK not, what it is that ails me, 

Probe not deep my inward fmart ; 
God it is Himfelf that fails me, 

Thirft for God confumes my heart ; 
For, alas ! if He be wanting, 
Boundlefs wealth would leave me poor, 
Houfelefs, friendlefs, thirfty, fainting, 
Wandering from door to door. 

Riches, honour, pomp, and learning, 

Beauty, pleafure, fcience, art, 
Cannot fatisfy my yearning, 

Cannot fill my aching heart ; 
Patience under tribulation, 

Strength to fufFer, love, and live, 
Joy in death and confolation, 

God Himfelf alone can give. 

Idols of the heathen nations. 

Works of art and human {kill, 
Cannot quench my afpirations, 

Nor my earner!: longings null ; 
Subtle thoughts and fpecuiations 

Of pall ages and our own 
Cannot reach my expectations, 

Which cry out for God alone. 
1 2 




n6 Hgra Bomcsttta. 



When fhall I appear before Thee, 

When behold Thy glorious face, 
And with joyful lips adore Thee, 

In Thy full unclouded grace ? 
When fnall love fucceed to coldnefs, 

Confidence to doubt and fear, 
When fhall I with childlike boldnefs 

To the throne of grace draw near ? 

When will God be my fole treafure> 

When will He abide with me ? 
When will His great will the meafure 

Of my will and actions be ? 
When will no thought ever enter 

Into heart and mind but this, 
In the Lord alone to centre 

Every hope of happinefs ? 

No ! the flame, which He hath lighted. 

Will not prove a flickering ray, 
He who hath this thirft excited 

Will its longing quench one day ; 
When I quit this vale of fadnefs, 

And to brighter regions foar, 
I fhall drink with joy and gladnefs 

Living waters evermore. 



Ugra Bomesttca. 117 



ENCOURAGEMENT. 

! ONG and toil fo me is the road, 
Difficult the track, 
And beneath its heavy load 

Often bows our back, 
Yet our hearts feel no difmay • 
Though our ftrength be fmall, 
On His ftrength we well may ftay, 
Who is Lord of all. 

Jefus never will forget us ; 

On His word we ftay, 
That He will not leave, nor let us 

Perifti on the way. 
Often when our ftrength appears 

To forfake us quite, 
Comfort whifpers in our ears : 

" He will fet all right." 

He who brought the cryftal wave 

From its rocky bed, 
And the prophet in the cave 

By the ravens fed ; 
He who with a little bread 

Thoufands fatisfled, 
Can He not for thofe who need 

Even now provide ? 




n8 Hgra Itomesttca. 



He who in His hands doth bear 

This terreftrial ball, 
And without whom not a hair 

From our head doth fall ; 
Who the great thinks not too great, 

Nor the fmall too fmall, 
Can He fee our fad eftate, 

Heedlefs of our call ? 

He who opened heaven to man, 

And hath plainly lhewed 
By what way we may and can 

Reach that bleft abode ; 
He who to prepare a place 

Hath fuch pains bellowed, 
Can He let His chofen race 

Perifh on the road ? 

No ! He neither can nor will ; 

God is very good, 
And the promife will fulfil 

Sealed by His own blood. 
Courage, then ! tho' hard your lot, 

God can never lie, 
Lift your heads on high, fear not, 

Your redemption's nigh. 



Hgra Itomwttca. 



119 



THE PLANT OF GOD'S PLANTING, 

XCITE in me, O Lord, an ardent 
thirft 

After Thy kingdom and its 
righteoufnefs, 
And fmite my llony heart, that tears 
may burft 

Of true repentance and of deep diftrefs. 
Alas ! the garden of my heart is cumbered 
With hidden tares and noxious weeds unnumbered ; 

cleanfe Thou me, that I may all my days 
Bring forth good fruit to Thy eternal praife! 

1 know that from Thy foilering care proceed, 
Thou heavenly Gardener, Sower of the earth, 

The fprouting, growth, and ripening of the feed, 

Through all its ftages from its earlieft birth. 
There's not a flower fo mean, nor blade that 
groweth, 

Whereon Thy love no tender care beftoweth ; 
How fweet to think, Lord, that on Thee depend 
Germ, blofTom, fruit, until my life lhall end ! 

Thy hand flrft drew me from the earth's green lap, 
With light revived me, and with foft dew fed, 

And when a ftorm befell me, the milhap 

Turned to my good, and raifed my drooping head. 




i2o Hgra Bomesttca. 



From day to day Thy goodnefs more amazes, 
And fills my heart with gratitude and praifes ; 
And thus I welcome, purging me from fin, 
Thy needful pruning and wife discipline. 



Ugra Itomesttca. 121 



A TIME OF DEARTH. 

UR life is often dark, 

Our foul of joy bereft, 
It feems as though no fpark 

Of faith or love were left ; 
The hope, which once was ours, 
Has fled we know not why, 
And yet thefe very hours 
Are bleffings from on high. 

When God awhile His face 

Thus hides from us, we learn 
To prize the more His grace, 

And long for its return ; 
The foul with all her might, 

Like Jacob ftrives and pleads, 
And wreftles day and night, 

Till flie at laft fucceeds. 

Ah ! then we feel full well 

How fad our life would prove, 
More fad than words can tell, 

Without the Saviour's love ; 
'Tis that which renders fweet 

The cup of bitternefs, 
And foothes the grief we meet 

In this world's wildernefs. 




122 



Hiira Bomcsttca. 



This is the foul's true fait, 

When all is dark within, 
And we can only tafte 

The bitternefs of fin ; 
Yet all is kindly meant, 

And by this very faft, 
More truly we repent, 

And feaft with joy at laft. 

The Lord knows when to blefs, 

As well as to correct, 
And oft relieves diftrefs, 

When we the leaft expect ; 
Yea ! often doth He make 

The cloud we fo much dread 
In fhowers refrefhing break 

Upon our weary head. 

In times like thefe we fhould 

Be driven to defpair, 
And in defponding mood 

Give up all hope and prayer, 
Did God before our eyes 

Not fet forth His dear Son, 
His death and facrifice, 

And all that He has done. 

Then learn to comprehend 
The dealings of thy God, 

To mark their gracious end, 
And meekly kifs the rod ; 



Upra Bomtsttca. 123 



With patience wait awhile 
The illiie of thy woes, 

Soon fhall the defert fmile, 
And bloITom like the rofe. 



i24 Hgra Bomtsttra. 



FATHER, SON, AND HOLY GHOST 

ATHER, whole hand hath led me fo 
fecurely, 

Father, whofe ear hath liftened to 
my prayer, 
Father, whofe eye hath watched o'er 
me fo furely, 
Whofe heart hath loved me with a love fo rare ; 
Vouchfafe, O heavenly Father, to inftruct me 
In the ftraight way wherein I ought to go, 
To life eternal and to heaven conduct me, 

Through health and ficknefs, and through weal 
and woe. 

O my Redeemer, who haft my redemption 

Purchafed and paid for by Thy precious bloody 
Thereby procuring an entire exemption 

From the dread wrath and punimment of God, 
Thou who haft faved my soul from condemnation, 

Redeem it alfo from the power of fin, 
Be Thou the Captain ftill of my faivation, 

Through whom alone I can the victory win. 

O Holy Ghoft, who from the Father floweft, 
And from the Son, O teach me how to pray ; 

Thou, who the love and peace of God beftoweft, 
With faith and hope infpire and cheer my way ; 




Hgra Bomcsttta. 



Direct, control, and fanctify each motion 
Within my foul, and make it thus to be 

Prayerful, and ftill, and full of deep devotion, 
A holy temple worthy, Lord, of Thee. 



126 Hgra 33omtsttca. 



COMFORT. 

HOW many hours of gladnefs 
Hath the Lord on us bellowed, 

And how oft in times of fadnefs 
Eafed our bofom of its load ! 



O how oft hath He relieved us 
By the noon-day heat oppreft, 

And how oft, when aught hath grieved us, 
Have we found with Him fweet reft ! 

Short the fpace, and He will take us 
To Himfelf — O wondrous love ! 

And of His great glory make us 
Sharers in the realms above. 

Then mail we appear before Him, 

Not as now in pilgrim-drefs, 
But to worlhip and adore Him, 

Clothed in robes of righteoumeis. 

Should not that, my heart, compoie thee 

Under every kind of ill ? 
Should it not at once difpofe thee 

Both to do and bear His will ? 




Hgra Somestfca. 127 



All has furthered thy falvation, 

Since thou madeft Chrift thy friend ; 

Wait with peaceful expectation,, 
Patiently await the end. 

Even things which moil diftrefs thee, 
That which moft thy patience tries, 

Are intended all to blefs thee, 
Are but mercies in difguife, 

If He lets thee fometimes {tumble 
On the fteep and rugged way, 

' Tis to make thee meek and humble, 
And on Him more fully ftay. 

Onward prefs with look directed 
To thy home beyond the Ikies, 

Till the glory long expected 
Burn: on thee in Paradife. 

Let not threats or hardfhips move thee, 
Soon thy warfare will be done ; 

Hark ! the blue expanfe above thee, 
Seems to whifper " Haften on." 




i28 Hgra Jtomtstfca. 




PILGRIM'S SONG. 

NCOMPL AINING, though with care 

grown hoary, 
I delire to wear no crown of glory. 
Where my Saviour wore a crown 
of thorn ; 
Not in paths of rofes would I dally, 
Where my Saviour trod the gloomy valley, 
Where He fufFered bitter pain and fcorn. 

Lord, fend forth Thy light and truth to lead me 
In the way, wherein Thy faints precede me, 

With the Holy Spirit for my guide ; 
Let me choofe the path of felf-denial, 
Shunning no fharp crofs or bitter trial, 

Which my Saviour's fteps have fanctified. 

Give me, Thou, who art the foul's Renewer, 
Steadfaft faith, which day by day grows truer : 

Kindle love, the fruit of faith, in me, 
Love, which puts the foul in a£live motion, 
Love, which fills the heart with true devotion, 

And which leads me thro' the world to Thee. 



Many a painful ftep mull be afcended, 
Ere my weary pilgrimage is ended, 

And in heaven I fee Thee face to face ; 
O then reach Thy hand, dear Lord, to raife me, 
For, alas ! the giddy height difmays me ; 

Guide, uphold me with Thine arm of grace. 



Upra Bomesttca. 129 



On the wide world's ocean rudely driven, 
Let me gaze upon Thine own blue heaven, 

The fweet haven where I long to be ; 
Give me now the comfort of pofTeffing 
What I value as the higher!: blelfing, 

Perfect peace through fteadfaft faith in Thee. 

Here I am a fojourner and ftranger, 

Worn with hardfhip and expofed to danger, 

Like a pilgrim with my ftafT in hand ; 
With the crofs upon my breaft I wander 
To the promifed Canaan which lies yonder, 

My beloved and longed-for Fatherland. 



130 Hgra Bomtsttca. 



PARTING. 

OW mean ye thus by weeping 

To break my very heart ? 
We both are in Chrift's keeping* 

And cannot therefore part ; 
Nor time, nor place can fever 
The bonds which us have bound ; 
In ChriH abide for ever 

Who once in Him are found. 

As though to part for ever, 

We prefs each other's hands, 
And yet no power can fever 

Our love's eternal bands ; 
We look quite broken-hearted, 

And fob our laft farewell, 
And yet can not be parted, 

For both in Jefus dwell. 

We fay, " I here, you yonder," 

66 You go, and I remain," 
And yet are not afunder, 

But links of one great chain ; 
In tones of deep affection 

" Our road parts here," we fay, 
Yet go in one direction, 

And in the felf-fame way. 




Upra Domigtica. 131 



Then let us ceafe from weeping, 

And moderate our woe, 
We both are in Chrift's keeping, 

With whom we always go ; 
Both under His protection, 

Both led by His dear hand, 
Both in the fame direction, 

To the fame Fatherland. 

In fruitlefs lamentation 

Let us not waile the hours, 
But find our confolation 

In knowing Chrift is ours ; 
If faith in Him unite us, 

Though parting gives us pain. 
It cannot difunite us, 

For both in Him remain. 




132 Hgra Bomestfca. 



HOME-SICKNESS. 

H ! how empty is the heart 
In the midft of pleafure, 

And how fain would we depart 
To our heavenly treafure. 



Threadbare now our garb with age 

Still repair is needing, 
And our feet with pilgrimage 

Painful are and bleeding. 

Gladly would we be at home, 
Free from toil and dangers, 

And no longer houfelefs roam 
In a land of Grangers ; 

Gladly lay alide the load 
Which our flem inherits, 

Worlhipping and ferving God 
With the ranfomed fpirits. 

But fince Thou doft yet delay 

To Thyfelf to take us, 
Lord, prepare us while we flay, 

Meet for heaven make us. 




Upra 33omesttca- 133 



Richly fhall we then be bleft, 
When, our warfare ending, 

We enjoy the promifed reft, 
With our Lord afcending. 



i34 Hgta 39omesttca. 



THE SONG OF DYING. 

SING of death and dying, 

A folemn farewell lay, 
Which bids thee to be ready, 

If death mould come this day ; 
Before the fan declineth, 
Thy courfe may ended be, 
And when again it fhineth, 
It may not lhine on thee. 

What is there more uncertain 

Than life, a fleeting breath, 
Or what more fure or certain 

Than dying, parting, death ? 
Our death is drawing nearer 

At every ftep we take, 
Our heart's delights are dying, 

And with them our hearts break. 

With ftafF in hand we journey 

Like pilgrims to the grave, 
The monarch's golden fceptre 

Is but a pilgrim's Have. 
The earth on all beftoweth 

A garment at our birth, 
Upon the earth we wear it, 

And leave it to the earth. 




Ugra Bomcsttca. 135 



Pafs rugged heights and valleys, 

Climb mountains, if ye will, 
Yet can ye not get over 

Yon little grave's green hill ; 
Thou canft not get beyond it, 

Though it be e'er lb fmall, 
For other hands within it 

Will lay both thee and all. 

Then fing of death and dying, 

That ancient pilgrim lay, 
Becaufe thy feet draw nearer 

Thy grave from day to day ; 
Let it be wafted o'er thee, 

Like diftant vefper bell, 
And not alone of dying, 

But of thy rifing tell. 




K 4 



136 



CHRIST HAS TAKEN AWAY THE 
POWER OF DEATH. 




HEN comes the hour which feals my 
doom, 

My heart has ceafed from beating, 
And laid within the filent tomb 
I wait the final meeting ; 



How dreadful then would be my fate, 
Had Chrift not opened heaven's gate 
To every true believer. 



How quickly flee our joys away, 
When cruel Death appeareth, 

And leave poor feeble man a prey 
To that which moft he feareth ! 

Delufive pleafures quickly flee 

Before the ftern reality 

Of death, the grave, and judgment. 



Guilt now appears without difguife, 
And fills us with confuflon, 

While falls the bandage from our eyes 
Of pride and felf-delufion ; 

Our fteadfaft gaze now turned within, 

We fee our mifery and fin 
In all their hateful colours. 



Hgra Bomesttca, 137 



Wert Thou not, Lord, in that dread hour 

My joy and confolation ; 
Didft Thou not bring to me with power 

The tidings of falvation, 
That death has loft his power and fting 
For thofe who to Thy crofs do cling, 

My heart would link within me. 

But now, fince Thou art mine, I Thine, 

I may have peace in dying, 
Thy holy merit is made mine, • 

From all things juftifying ; 
Thou haft atonement wrought for me, 
And thereby made my death to be 

A reft and peaceful llumber. 

Therefore, my Saviour and my God, 

Be Thou in death befide me, 
Nor let the comfort of Thy rod 

Be in that hour denied me ; 
That thus the hour I yield my breath 
Be not a flcknefs unto death, 

But unto life eternal. 



138 Hgra Domestics. 



THE GRAVE. 

ESIDE the dark grave {landing, 

We fow in filent tears 
The feed of incorruption, 
• The pilgrim full of years. 



His home is reached already, 
We ftill are on the road, 

Death was the gate of heaven, 
It took him to his God. 

He fees what we but look for, 
He hath what we ftill lack, 

The foe no more can fpoil him, 
Who ftill befets our track. 

His difembodied fpirit 
Is with the Lord at reft, 

And while we ftill are weeping, 
He is fupremely bleft. 

He wears a crown of glory, 
And lifts the palm on high, 

And fwells with faints and angek 
The chorus of the fky. 




Hgra HJomcsttca. 139 



We ftill, poor weary pilgrims, 
In this dark valley roam, 

Until again we fee him, 
And mare his happy home. 



140 Hgra Bomcsttca. 



WHAT SHALL WE BE ? 



HAT {hall we be, and whither {hall * 
we go, 

When the laft conflict of our life is 
o'er, 

And we return from wandering to 
and fro 

To our dear home through heaven's eternal door ; 
When we make off the laft duft from our feet, 

^ When we wipe off the laft drop from our brow, 
And our departed friends once more we greet, 

The hope which cheers and comforts us below ! 

What mail we be, when we ourfelves mail fee 

Bathed in the flood of everlafting light, 
And from all guilt and fin entirely free 

Stand pure and blamelefs in our Maker's fight ; 
No longer from His holy prefence driven, 

Confcious of guilt, and ftung with inward pain, 
But friends of God and citizens of heaven, 

To join the ranks of His celeftial train. 

What fhall we be, when we drink in the found 
Of heavenly mufic from the fpheres above, 

When golden harps to liftening hofts around 
Declare the wonders of redeeming love ; 




ILgra Donusttca. 141 



When far and wide through the refounding air 
Loud Hallelujahs from the ranfomed rife, 

And holy incenfe, fweet with praife and prayer, 
Is wafted to the Higheft through the ikies. 

What fhall we be, when the freed foul mall rife 

With unreftrained and bold afpiring flight 
To Him, who by His wondrous facrifice 

Hath opened heaven, and fcattered fin's dark night ; 
When from the eye of faith the thin veil drops, 

Like wreaths of mift before the morning's rays, 
And we behold, the end of all our hopes, 

The Son of God in full refulgent blaze. 

What mail we be, when we mail hear Him fay, 
" Come, O ye bleffed," when we fee Him Hand, 

Robed in the light of everlafiing day, 

Before the throne of God at His right hand ; 

When we behold the eyes from which once flowed 
Tears o'er the fin and mifery of man, 

And the deep wounds from which the precious blood, 
. That made atonement for the world, once ran. 

What fhall we be, when hand in hand we go 

With blefled fpirits rifen from the tomb, 
Where ftreams of living water foftly flow, 

And trees ftili flourifh in primeval bloom ; 
Where in perpetual youth no cheek looks old 

By the fharp touch of cruel time impreft, 
Where no bright eye is dimm'd, no heart grows cold, 

No grief, no pain, no death invades the bleft. 



142 Hiua Bomesttca, 



What mall we be, when every glance we call 

At the dark valley underneath our feet, 
And every retrofpedt of troubles pari: 

Makes heaven brighter and its joys more fweet ; 
When the remembrance of our earthly woe 

Gives a new relifh to our heavenly peace, 
And draws our heart to Him, to whom we owe 

Our pari deliverance and our prefent blifs. 

What mall we be, who have in Chrirl believed : 
What through His grace will be our fweet reward? 

Eye hath not feen, ear heard, or heart conceived, 
What God for thofe who love Him hath pre- 



Let us the fteep afcent then boldly climb, 
Our toil and labour will be well repaid ; 

Let us hafte onward, till in God's good time 
We reap the fruit, a crown that doth not fade. 



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pared. 





